Post with a purpose - Part 2~

If you were to turn to our Uncle Denny and ask him how he was - without fail he would reply "It's great to be alive".

It was said so often that over the last few years I have found myself giving the same response when I am asked how I am at work during the day.

It didn't matter if he was having a good day or not. It didn't matter if he was in pain, or struggling emotionally, he always responded with a smile and "it's great to be alive"

And you know, our Denny did have pain. A lot of pain. And he did struggle. A lot.

But he always stated "It's great to be alive"

Our Den might have only lived 65 years, but he lived a full 65 years.

And I guess therein lies the challenge. We may not have the career we dreamt of. There are moments we all struggle. Maybe your family is not the exact type of family you always had.

But we are here. We are running this race called life. Are we doing it with a smile, a handshake and a laugh, or getting bogged down in the day to day?

I know I will fail often. I'm not perfect. None of us are. Denny wasn't. But he ran the race. He fought the good fight. And now he is in peace.

But he's set me a challenge.

I'm going to try to live my life so every day I can answer in my mind "It's great to be alive". What better way to honour an uncle that I love.

And this is the post with a purpose! - Part 1

All that sadness yesterday! It just isn't right for my uncle Denny!

Denny might not be with us any longer - but gee he won't be forgotten! And I truly believe the way you honour someone you loved when they go is to take a little bit of them and put your memories into action. Take the parts you loved and respected and make it your own!

Denny did that when my Gran (his mum) passed away. My Gran never forgot a birthday. Every birthday she would be the first to call, and a card would always be in the mail. It was something that left a real whole after she was gone.

But Denny took that tradition, and put a twist on it and made it his own. Every year after Gran died we would get a late night phone call from Denny. Every time it would suprise me! Especially when he would ring to wish Miss E a happy birthday long after her bedtime. He knew we were missing Gran. And he did his best to carry the tradition on.

Birthdays are NOT my strong suit. Immediate family I can remember - the rest of the world I am a mess with.

But we were blessed. Paul received the very last "denny" birthday phonecall as Denny was too ill to ring his twin (my dad) this year.

And Paul suggested we take the tradition and make it our own. Make sure Gran's calls and cards are carried on.

I spent the better part of yesterday organising. I'm not quite there - I still have some addresses and birthdays to find but we are on our way.

Together Paul and I are going to endeavour to recognise every birthday amongst our loved ones and friends this year in some way. We are going to do it in love and memory of our Gran and our Uncle Den. Sometimes it will be a card. Sometimes a call. But we are going to rememeber

I'm sure others will do the same ... the more the merrier. It is not something that needs to be owned. But something that should be shared.

Bout time I organised that area of my life anyways!