If you love anyone or they love you, leave them this.
My Dad died when I was 22. I have two photos of him. No recordings of his voice, no video of his movement.
My Mum died two years ago. I have her messages left on my voice mail and some videos with her. Not as much as I could have had. I was on my way to see her and stay with her for a while, she was in her nineties, and life got in the way. One day I get a call she is in hospital but it isn’t life threatening. I should have gotten on a plane then and headed home. I didn’t. Three day’s later she was needing surgery they said would kill her. I immediately got on a plane. She died during my trip.
Three weeks later I got a call that my brother had a heart attack and died after coming up from a dive. He thought he had indigestion, but it was far worse. He would never let me take video. He left no journal. I don’t even have messages on my phone with his voice because he never left any. He was 53.
So this shower thought is this.
If you love anyone or they love you, leave a message on your phone. Take some selfies. Record video with them when they are around, even if they protest.
Record bits of your life. Your thoughts. How you feel about them. How you feel about apples. What your favourite movie was, and why it is your favourite. Your fondest memory. Your deepest regret.
And ask them the same. Talk to them and record it. Keep the stuff that makes them them so that one day, when they are gone, or you are gone, there is a record.
That’s all I have to say. I’d give anything to hear my Dad’s voice or my brother’s. Don’t let the same happen to you.
