For me my dad is still a big miss, gone since September 2003, just before his 68th birthday.
I’m now less than 7 years away from where he reached, a sobering thought and now easy to so clearly to remember his final few years and equate them to my own during this 60+ period.
I miss my nan’s a lot as well and my grandad on my dad’s side who I had until I was 25.
So many fantastic aunts and uncles all gone as well, the family parties were legendary back in the 70’s, all gone now though, our family is so fragmented and the younger brigade have no feeling for the history of the family and ties are now almost broken.
I’ve gone from being way down the pecking order in the family to now being one of the elders, only 6 of the older brigade are now with us and of the males I’m now fourth in line in terms of the bloodline.
It’s like trying to stand on the shoulders of giants, the elders of the past were real men, coal miners and the like, my one great uncle was mayor of Durham in the late 70’s and the leader of the NUM in that region ( that’ll surprise a few on here🤣
His name was Joeseph Wright, what a character!
They all were.......in truth I’m not fit to tie the bootlaces of most of them.
What I’d give for one last night with them all, one final family party with everyone present.
I can honestly say I’d give up my life right now to be granted one last gathering with all of them.
Especially dad.
This is why I find Xmas so damned hard.
Thinking of you all today old timers.
I know exactly how you are feeling. I lost my dad when he was 49 so I have already lived 20 years longer than he was given. My wife and I have become the oldest living family members. There is no one left we can turn to or ask, its just us. I did not have a great father son relationship growing up it was only when I became an adult that we started to develop a greater understanding of each other and got a lot closer. We began to make plans what we would do together, the things we never did when I was younger. We never got the chance, and he was gone in what seemed like a flash but in reality I watched him wither away in front of my eyes over a few weeks. As the years have gone on I miss him more and more. Don't want to go into how much I miss my mom still.
Never had a sense of family. My mother I never knew due to the rejection at birth and then being on valium for the rest of her sad and short life due to schizophrenia. My dad got custody when I was 3 then shortly after left for a new life. He used to drop money off for my Grandparents and never ask to see me, where I was or anything. I was often only upstairs. I am now a complicated mixture of numb and over emotional.
I’m sad that your backstory is so bleak mate.
At least you had your grandparents.
The sad fact is that none of us get to choose our parents, it’s a total lottery as to whether they are up to the job or not and likewise, are we the right fit for our own children.
Very complicated chemistry and almost bound to fail.
Hope you and your lady have a nice day.