Yesterday my wonderful Grandmother’s soul left this planet. It’s been 15 years since I’ve said goodbye to any of my close family, the first time I’ve experienced it in my adult life. And at 31, it definitely feels like a much more impactful emotion than it did when I was 15, as now it’s not just the loss of a loved one but also a reminder that time with the people we love, and the experiences we get to have with them, is on a very limited timeline, and something we can never get back. And that no matter how much time we think we have, it’s always much later in the day than it seems. People say it to us constantly when we’re growing up, but I don’t think I’ve ever fully absorbed it until now. Living in Bali of course presents obstacles for seeing loved ones as much as I’d like. But looking back at the last 3 years I’ve been away, I deeply regret not picking up the phone more, making the journey there more, and just making more effort in general to see a woman who helped mould me through my childhood to be the person I am today. It’s easy to deflect responsibility by using excuses like being too busy with work, which in the grand scheme of things is insignificant. And justifying it by saying “I’ll go see her next time”, feeding into this grand illusion, that we have control over time, life and death. But of course, we don’t. When it’s your time to go, it’s your time. And that has no regard for your excuses or justifications. I don’t normally post about deep, personal matters like this on social media. I always like to keep personal things, personal. But for the first time in a while I’ve learnt a valuable life lesson.. not just hearing it, but actually feeling it, & understanding it. One I’m sure most of you already know. But even so, hopefully this can act as a reminder. Nothing is promised in this life. Tomorrow is not guaranteed for anyone. Tell family you love them Call that elderly relative you haven’t spoken to in a while Appreciate the moments you spend with loved ones even if it seems tedious at the time. Remember that once these lost moments disappear into history, you’d do anything to have them back. Lots of love Nan ❤️