I lost my dad 8 years ago.
You think you’re prepared. You’re not.
Now my mom is 87, and in the last year I’ve watched her decline in ways I never wanted to see. It’s a quiet kind of heartbreak. Not dramatic. Just real.
Here’s the truth no one really tells you:
When your mom and dad are gone, something fundamental shifts. The ceiling of your life disappears. The people who knew you before the world touched you... they’re not there anymore.
And nothing feels the same after that. Absolutely nothing.
So if you still have them, even if it’s complicated, even if it’s imperfect, value the time. Call them. Visit. Sit in the silence. Ask the questions you think you have time to ask later.
Later is not guaranteed.
One day you’ll wish for one more conversation.
Don’t wait for that day to understand what you had.
More than 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members served during Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. 158 never came home, and many others returned carrying physical and psychological wounds that continue long after service ends.
Today, and everyday, we Remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we honour the courage of all who served, and we stand with the Veterans and families who live every day with the lasting impacts of that mission.
As an organization committed to supporting Veterans of all eras, our focus remains on Remembrance, respect, and support — for the fallen, for those who served and returned, and for their loved ones.
To learn more about Canada’s longest war and the people who served, we invite you to explore this interactive story from Legion Magazine: https://t.co/GKpkAyGpF5
@Mikeggibbs Approaching Palliative Care with someone can be really tricky. Everyone makes decisions that are best for them at the time.Certainly from reading on here it seems that you made the best of a bad situation.Try not to be too hard on yourself.Your Dad was right where he wanted to be
@Mikeggibbs Losing a parent is so difficult no matter their age. For most of us, our parents help define who we have become. Take good care of yourself
Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview in March 2025 with the understanding it would only be released after her death. This is her final message from it.