By MICHAEL CALDWELL

Publisher

One year ago, today, my life changed. 

Much like welcoming a child into this world, it is one of those life events you think you understand, at least intellectually, and believe you are prepared to deal with. 

And you would be wrong. 

At least I was.

My father passed away Nov. 23, 2018, at the age of 66. It was the end of a long, difficult road fraught with a myriad of health issues including cancer, debilitating arthritis, COPD, shingles and emphysema. 

It has been a bittersweet challenge, to say the least. Harder than I could even imagine — For me. For my mom. For my brother. For all the people whose lives Dad touched.

My father is no longer in pain, and that is a good thing. But it has certainly left a void in our lives.

The important thing, and what Dad would have been most proud of, is that we all have found a way to go on, that we honor his memory by doing the things we love and that he loved.

In a time where our country is as polarized as it has ever been, when there seems to be a significant inability by many people to empathize with other human beings, grief and loss are things we all share. Grief creates a common ground in a language everyone can understand.

As a musician and avid Beatles fan, the song “In my Life” always resonated with my father. Now, those words hit home for me —

 

“Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more”

 

The old adage is that “time heals all wounds.” Maybe it does. It also helps you appreciate the time you did have.

 

Michael Caldwell is publisher of The Advocate-Messenger and Danville Living magazine. He can be reached at (859) 759-0095 or by email at mike.caldwell@centralkynews.com.