What's Life All About?

This weekend we interred my dad's ashes into the beautiful Schnapper Rock Road cemetery in Albany Auckland. For dad it was his final earthly journey - the end of his road. One of my brother's commented that who would have guessed that when he was born in Indonesia in 1921 (then a Dutch colony) that he would finally be laid to rest in New Zealand. Putting a small box of ashes into the soil makes you appreciate how insignificant our lives on earth are. It's true we start with nothing and leave with nothing. The value of our lives is what we do with our time here or "our dash" - the dash being the little symbol that always appears between the birth and death date of a person. My Dad's "dash" was all about FAITH and FAMILY. He wouldn't have been judged a "success" in business or financial terms but as a caring human being he would have won the top award. One shirt on his back was all he needed - the rest he would give away to anyone and everyone who needed it more! My dad taught me about the power of faith (believing and trusting in a power greater than myself), and family (knowing I belong to a family unit where I am loved and can love in return). His legacy is a beautiful wife, still going strong at 85, 8 children, 7 sons and daughters in law, 20 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
This weekend it was a good time for me to reflect on what I want my "dash" to mean to the loved ones I leave behind. Maybe it's a good time for you to have a think too! Are you happy with your "dash" to date? Rest in Peace Dad. Thank You - I've been truly blessed to have you as my dad! Koen Kavermann 17/03/1921 - 17/10/2009.