6 years since you left

Dear Pops,

Today marks 6 years since left us, 6 years where to me the World got a little quieter.

I found a card that you gave me when I was in Matric.  It was after I had climbed out of my bedroom window, on a school night, headed to the Holiday Inn and gone jolling with my fake ID.  This was way before the cellphone and now that I myself am a parent, I can’t begin to imagine how you must have felt when you discovered my bed, packed full of pillows but no Nikki to be found.

Instead of being grounded until I was 40, you came home the next day with a Swatch watch I had my eye on for months and the most beautiful card.  The one sentence that stands out for me is that you would move mountains for me.  Indeed you would and did.

Looking back on my schooling days and living at home, I now full appreciate all that you and Mom must have gone through to make sure I always had what I needed.  Giving children a loving, happy, healthy and secure upbringing is no mean feat. If I didn’t thank you enough when you were around, please know.  Thank-you for always having my back.  Thank-you for always believing in me. Thank-you for teaching me that while swimming upstream might be exhausting, it is even more rewarding.

They say that death changes everything, time changes nothing.  This is so true.  Pops, I miss you always, today especially.

To end off with lyrics from your favourite song: “What goes up, must come down.  Spinning wheel got to go round.”

Love you madly,

Nix

PS, I am super jealous that your band crew just gets better every year.  David Bowie.  Prince.  Heaven sure sounds like fun xxx

1948 ~ 2010