I miss pa. I am OK if I get busy with life, but when I stop and think about him
and look through family photos, the tears come and I miss him terribly.
I miss the “Hello Dellie!” and the very tight and long hug he would give me
when he saw me. He would then still hold me and look into my eyes and say
“Dellie” and give me another tight hug.
When I was growing up, I remember my dad being a navigator in the air force,
being behind a camera, in front of a computer or in a coffee shop. My dad was
the smartest guy I knew. He had an incredible general knowledge and always
had an answer for everything. I don’t recall him ever saying “I don’t know” or
“let me find out”, he just had the answer.
My dad was also a natural at writing. He wrote most of my speeches at school
or for redenaars. He would write them without my consent or input because
he liked doing it so much. I also have two letters from him that I hold very
close to my heart. One he wrote to me when I was 7 years old – I was in
hospital having my tonsils removed. The other letter was for the morning of
my wedding.
I will always cherish the memories that I have of him. I am especially grateful
to have been able to spend some time with him in Pretoria before he came to
Cape Town for the last few weeks of his life. We laughed, we cried, we got
angry, we said sorry, we said “I love you”. I also had the privilege of getting to
know some of my dad’s closest friends. I felt that I got to know another side of
my dad through them. I really believe that the friends one has, say a lot about
the person that you are. My dad had some amazing friends that supported
him right until the end. I am forever thankful for the blessing that they are.
I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father gave me my dad as my earthly father.
My heart is sore, but I hold onto the beautiful memories of him, the things that
he taught me and all the support he gave me.
Ek stuur vir pa ‘n stywe drukkie en ek ‘cheers’ op jou lewe elke keer as ek ‘n
koffie drink. I love you pa!
