I believe all of us are brave. I heard an interesting point of view once, I can't remember where but it has stuck with me. It went along the lines of...
Every day we go about our business as usual. All that time, we all know that the things we love, the people we love, at any time can be taken away from us. We live knowing this and yet we carry on...
These past few weeks however, I have not felt brave, I don't really know how to carry on. Someone very dear to me has been taken away and I attempt to recover from my third joint replacement.
My Grandad was my hero. He has always been there in every family memory of my childhood and adult life. He was an amazing person, strong, full of life and so courageous and kind. I have never met anyone with his sense of generosity or adoration for his family. He would have truly done anything for my family, and only ever wanted to see us happy and healthy. He is the kind of rare gentleman that you don't often see these days. I was lucky enough to have spent a lot of time with my grandparents throughout my life, and I am so privileged to have had that gift of time with my Grandad. Not many people get to know their grandparents and I can't imagine growing up without them.
My Grandad showed me what it was to appreciate life, to work hard for what you have and value your family. He taught me how to be kind and supportive of others, whatever it was they wanted to do or achieve. He always supported my ambitions especially when starting a business and he showed such pride in me even when I was at my lowest. He helped me in so many ways following my diagnosis and through my darkest and most painful days he comforted me. He assured me it would all be OK in the end and that he was proud of me.
He was a hero to me and my family because of his bravery throughout life to always strive to provide for his family and make us all happy. There must have been times he needed rest or wanted to relax but I never remember him doing so. Every minute was spent making things better for everyone else around him, even in his final hours.
Grandad was diagnosed with a brain tumour 3 and a half years ago, devastating news to us all. He spent those three and a half years fighting, dealing with so much and he was an inspiration to us all. Even through that his main concern was everyone around him and that his family were happy and healthy.
As I recover from my successful shoulder replacement, I think about him a lot. I think I must be strong, I must go on and I must fight as it's what he would have wanted. I'm sure he'd want me to be well and happy and I can only continue to fight this disease to do him that honour. Despite my set backs I will strive to have the life I wanted, to achieve the things I set out to do (even if it takes me a little longer). I will be brave again soon and each day a little bit of fight comes back to me.
For you Grandad, miss you every day.
Ps. I promise to write soon about my surgery which will hopefully help some of you out there suffering at present.
