Dad's message

[Lightshines]

I don't know what I think about this

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

In what way do you not know what you think?

[Laugs]

I sort of don't know what to think either.

It's heartbreaking reading the article, and I can see that he has done it out of love, but I'm not sure it's that helpful to have a set of written rules hanging over you as you grow up. It's basically asking his children to be perfect, and of course they will fall short of the mark as all humans do, so how will they feel then? (and some of his points I suppose I think are wrong as well. eg 'crying doesn't make things better' - says who?)

[HedleyLamarr]

Actually, crying does make things better sometimes. The things I cry about, for example.

[Laugs]

Yes, crying is a healing experience.

[Cathycat]

This is hard to read. I have such mixed feelings reading it. I read it thinking, "Yes I agree with that" and it has taken me years to learn all of these lessons myself. However as a poster replied to this: "The hardest part in death is letting go. Trust that your loved ones will find their own ways without you. List making is just trying to influence a future that you will have no part in , i'm not sure if that's ultimately helpful for his children." However, I suppose that advice is better than no advice? I always remember a family that I knew whose dad then two months later, the mum died. A list like that could be very precious.

[HengshanRoad]

I hate it when things like this make it into the media. It smacks of oversentimentality.

[Hassled]

It is very very sad. But as someone who lost a parent young, I think it's an amazing thing for them to have and that it will be helpful; not necessarily as a list for them to follow religiously, but as a way of understanding how their father thought - I wish I'd had something like that.

[bkgirl]

Hassled (((((Big Hug))))))
I agree.