The Day My Entire World- STOPPED.
Three years ago, today, my world was shaken to its core.
I received a text early that morning from my dad, asking me to come over. That text still hangs in the atmosphere of my memories. He was a man who never asked for much, which made his message resonate deeply with urgency.
I remember driving to his house, feeling an odd mix of worry and denial. The weight of the world seemed to rest on my shoulders.
How could I abandon my long to-do list at work?
I even found myself, absurdly, in my dad’s garage, trying to complete paperwork. The ridiculousness of it all – focusing on mundane tasks when the universe was pointing me to something monumental.
The hustle culture of our society, the expectations, and pressures from my agency had so consumed me that they were taking precedence on what turned out to be my father's last day on this planet. But there I was, feeling the tug of work responsibilities even as every fiber of my being told me to stay close to my dad.
Later that morning, I joined my sisters beside our father's bed. We laughed, we reminisced, and we stayed in the present with him, soaking in every precious moment. That day, at 6:10 pm, my father took his final breath. I can still hear the anguish in my sister's voice as she cried out, a sound that will never fade from memory. I left the room, found solace in the familiar garage, and let the floodgates open.
Losing my dad was earth-shattering.
I thought it would break me.
And, it honestly did- it broke me open.
Open to my rebirth to a transformative journey, teaching me to question the hustle culture, societal expectations, and the importance of being present.
It made me realize that we often get so caught up in meeting the expectations of society, in the grind of work and responsibilities, that we forget to be present for the moments that truly matter. The moments that won't come back.
I’ve learned that wearing a mask of strength isn’t always bravery. Vulnerability, emotion, raw authenticity – that’s where true strength lies. It lies in acknowledging our fears, in expressing our love, and in allowing ourselves to feel deeply.
I reflect on my father's final day, not with regret but with profound gratitude.
For it made me question, it made me introspect, and it set me on a path of rewilding – of returning to my most authentic self, and helping others do the same.
The unconditional pursuit of joy, the deep introspection, and the embrace of the feminine energy are gifts from that heart-wrenching day.
As we mark the two-year anniversary of my father’s passing, I remember his strength, his love, and the lessons he unknowingly taught me-even in his final moments.
I pledge to continue helping others strip away the facade that society forces upon them, to rediscover their true selves, and to cherish every fleeting moment.
Let's promise ourselves that we'll never let the hustle of life overshadow the beats of our heart, the love of our family, and the moments that truly define our existence. Because at the end of the day, it's not about how busy we were, but how deeply we felt, how genuinely we loved, and how authentically we lived.
