My dad passed away 7 years ago today. It was sudden. His funeral was the first I had been to and I haven't gone to one since. I was 13 and he was honestly my best friend. I was (arguably, still am..) an awkward child, not many friends, but dad was always there for me. I remember I used to love just sitting with him in the car, on some drive to some place. I loved being around him.

I can't begin to tell you how good of a man he was. I know it's easy for people to glorify someone who has died, to skip over their flaws, but the man was damn selfless. Life didn't play easy with him whatsoever, but it never managed to break him. He worked hard, lived for his family and gave back to his community in great ways. He loved his kids and loved being a dad. He had a great sense of humour, lame-ass jokes, but always playful. A faithful, honest and loving husband to my mother. Never aggressive, but always stood strong. Decisive but never rash, all his decisions were careful and calculated. From him I learned that I can do anything if I set my mind to it. The culture we come from is typically very strict, with very defined gender roles with women tending to be on the losing end. He never made me feel small or try to define who I was supposed to be. He trusted me and let me grow and accepted me for who I was.

It's hard to think of what I lost, but I am so glad to have had it at all. Thanks for everything, Dad. I'll always miss you.