Today is Father's Day....
Great...
I lost my father a week go. He died suddenly in our living room, and I felt blindsided by how quick it was. I never got to say what I wished to say. My last memory of him is quite negative. He hadn't been well. His heart and lungs were weak, and he seemed to think he was dying (I didn't believe him). He became self destructive - drinking all day. He became unrecognizable from the father I had grown up with. But he wanted to change.. for me. He loved me. And above all else, that matters the most. The past year of stressful moment after stressful moment no longer matters. It's just a small stain on a perfect white shirt. Stronger than the frustration is love... and I don't think he knew just how much I did love him. How much I always will.
I haven't treaded on trafficking this week. I have eaten every comfort food imaginable. I have stopped taking care of myself as I try to accept one of life's greatest tragedies. And worst of all? Today is Father's Day... It's f*cking Father's Day. And I just said goodbye to mine.
So as I struggle to accept his absence in my life, I want to celebrate his life tomorrow. He sponsored me to tread on trafficking. He supported me and was proud of the life changes that I had recently made. So tomorrow, instead of letting the pain consume me, I am going to channel this energy and do something positive. I am going to walk six miles in honour of my Father.
This experience has taught me once again how precious life is. How we only have ONE life... and to spend that life as a slave is unacceptable. Life is a gift. To take advantage and abuse one's gift is one of life's greatest crimes.
So I will walk. I will remember my father. And I will continue to fight for the children sold into sex trafficking.
Happy Father's Day everyone.
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Steph
