A thank you of sorts

It’s been that kind of a year. A year that I would most fervently wish hadn’t happened and also a year that, because it happened, made me stronger in a way, made me realise my strengths (though it still hasn’t fixed my inability to spell strength without it getting autocorrected).

A year that was filled with moments of almost joy, of pure happiness and unadulterated delight and then suddenly one that seemed to descend into a darkness none of us wanted.

This year took away the one person whom I adored with all my heart. My dancing partner, my carom cheater king and my accomplice in beating around mom’s strict rules.

As difficult as it was to watch dad go, I was happy to see an end to his torment. No one deserves to linger in pain, and God was merciful and kind in that sense. The void is there. It’ll be foolish to pretend otherwise but what made this loss bearable was the comfort and support of friends and neighbours. And every time we were at out wit’s end about how to proceed from another obstacle, somebody came forward to clear the way.

His loss made me realise that I can be strong, that I can be relied on, and that I have the ability to persevere. Caring for him in his last days was strenuous, frustrating and heartbreaking, but I did it. We all did.

And as a friend wrote “For no matter the outcome, you have emerged a stronger, more loving person than you may realise. And that's something both you and your father can be proud of.”

So a thank you to all the people who touched our lives this year, for all your prayers, your comforting words and presence.