Bye for now

Vicki Harrison wrote that "grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” I feel like it will be a long time before my family learns to swim again but the wonderful memories we have of my Grandad will comfort us in future moments of fragility.

The day we said our final farewells couldn't have been more perfect. The warmest of words from everyone who knew him have already begun to heal my heart and to see every pew filled with his oldest friends ensured me that he will never be forgotten. From the love songs of Elvis to the toe-tapping, jive number we knew would make him smile, the service was a roaring celebration of his life. There wasn't a single person in the room whose life he hadn't touched, so to say he was adored and respected within the community is an understatement. I have never felt so much pride and sorrow in the same breath, but I can imagine it's a feeling that doesn't come around too often.

I'm so thankful for my family and everything they did to ensure I made it home for the day. Grandad was an enormous part of our lives and to consider not being by their sides to say goodbye was a scary notion for me - I will always be grateful.

I'll be heading back to Sydney to continue my adventure this coming Monday. It's now more important than ever that I make every day count because the only person who was more excited about this trip than me, was my Grandad!

Talk to you soon,

Laura

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P.S. I had the honour of reading some words I'd written at the service. I wasn't sure whether to include them, but I think without them it's almost impossible to express how much of a character he was. Read at your will!

On the 3rd of January 2016 the world lost a great man. Peter John Finlan was a Navel cadet, a bus driver, a carpenter and a full time joker but most importantly he was my incredibly warm and spirited Grandad.

The loss I am feeling right now is inconceivable. When people refer to their Grandparent as their best friend, something doesn't quite sit right with me. Grandad wasn't my best friend; I didn't chat with him about idle gossip or the latest trends. When he asked me a question he wanted to know how I was, how my week was going and what had made me happy that day. He knew how to reason with me when I was headstrong and lift my mood when no one else prevailed. He was generous, at times stubborn but always the voice of reason. He wasn't my best friend because he was so much more; he was formidable everyday.

I always admired how deeply Grandad loved. He shared his heart with so many, be it his friends, his children, or his grandchildren. But no one quite stole his heart like my Nan. As Nan's memory began to falter and the sparkle in her eye wasn't quite as bright, no one could deny the sparkle still left in Grandad's. They were soul mates and I can't even begin to comprehend the devotion he felt for her. I will always remain in awe of his laughter, his courage and his strength until it was time for him to leave us.

The void my Grandad has left is immense. He touched more lives than I can ever hope to in my lifetime and made more people smile than I can even begin to explain. As he wrote in my birthday card this year, something special happened when he held me in his arms for the first time. Everything clicked, he pulled me in and we loved each other from that moment onwards. I am the person I am today because of his guidance and support and know that whatever direction I take my life in, he'll be nudging me in the back with every step.

I'll love you always Grandad, you truly were an incredible man.

God bless,

Laura