Yesterday I lost my father-in-law Graham to heaven after a short illness.
It is difficult to believe that he is gone. It is difficult to know what to do, what to think. He has already left a Graham-sized hole in our lives and as each minute passes we think of example after example of reasons that make this even harder to deal with. What will we do without him?
As a family we were all very close. I have always been very happy that whenever we’d see my in-laws Graham would greet both my husband and I with “hello children”. It always made me smile. I will miss that.
I believe that Graham is now in a better place, where he is free from the pain and suffering that marred his last months on this planet, where he is at peace. Being a Christian and knowing that Graham was ready to go doesn’t seem to make this any easier, though.
I was going to use this post to record lots of my memories of Graham. I was going to tell you what a wonderful man he was, and how he was liked and admired by so many. How he was a Scout Leader and would sing “Ilkley Moor Bar T’at” at the top of his lungs. How he was a great Christian who cared for others deeply. How he had the most difficult-to-get sense of humour – I never did really know when he was joking, but most of the time I guessed right. How he would just be able to fix motorbikes and cars at the side of the road, and in the pouring rain, while the rest of us looked on. How he was always the one that took the wrong turn at a roundabout resulting in everyone having to stop and wait. How he loved that orange jumper.
But I won’t. What I will say is:
Life is all about the journey. Make the most of yours. Create good memories for yourself and others. Be a beacon of light, for it is our attitude and our actions that make us who we are, for which we are remembered, and for which we are accountable.
Goodnight Graham, sleep well. I will miss you.
Graham Homes, 6 November 1950 – 29 June 2012