Happy Birthday Daddy

My dad recently passed away. Today seemed like the most appropriate day to honor his life and to post this tribute, as today is his 79th birthday.

As I was sitting in my garden writing this tribute to my father, a large yellow butterfly suddenly appeared and was fluttering around me for about 10 minutes. And that’s when I knew that mommy and daddy are united and their souls are lighting up the eternal sky. It was all in the wings of the butterfly.

And those wings took me to a wonderful essay by Pico Iyer that is on the value of suffering. It is one of the best pieces I have read in a long time. He wrote: “We sometimes seem to forget or perhaps wish to forget that suffering is an inherited aspect of existence.”

That reminded me of something my friend, Kaveri Singh who painted the murals in the ancient temples of India once said to me. “I realize that these moments that we have, when we are forced to be present due to circumstances, are sometimes the most meaningful.”

Death, like life, is an illusion. … the real loss would be if our loved ones did not live on in our hearts and minds.

The loss and sadness which is deep and doesn’t have many words, is the hard part, but I was blessed to have such a special father and mother.

And he and my mother will live on in my mind and in the uplifting wings of the butterfly.

I think the only reason we’re here is to experience love and joy and know empathy.

I can still see the butterfly flying away. How I wished it had stayed with me. But I know it’s for the better good.

As Sarah Kaye wrote, “There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline no matter how many times it’s sent away.”

Mommy and Daddy, I’ll keep sending you butterfly kisses. I love you both always and forever.