It can be difficult when you are a parent. It seems that almost everything is coming your way at one time and it can be hard to keep it all in check. All of you who have children realize how easy it can be to get caught up in the day to day living, stress of work and the need to keep up with everything that gets thrown in our plate. Unfortunately, there are times when it seems that we just lose track of what is going on at home and we might not realize it until it is too late.
Any parent would say that one of the most difficult things they could ever face is the loss of a child. For those who have experienced that loss, it is something that they will never get over. That was what Richard Pringle experienced when he lost his 3 year old son, Hughie. His son suffered from a brain hemorrhage and the doctors could not save him.
In order to heal from some of the grief he was experiencing, Richard wrote down a list of the 10 most important lessons he has learned from that tragedy. It is a list that all parents should read.
Hughie had a brain condition but things seemed to be going well when he died: “There was only a 5% chance of a bleed, but unfortunately that 5% chance happened last year and he didn’t survive,” Richard explained, as reported in the The Mirror.
One year after the death, that father from Hastings U.K. shared a list of the most important things he has learned. It’s a reminder for all of us that we should not take our loved one for granted, but we should treasure them always.
1. ”You can never ever kiss and love too much. ”
2. ”You always have time. Stop what you’re doing and play, even if it’s just for a minute. Nothing’s that important that it can’t wait. ”
3. ”Take as many photos and record as many videos as humanly possible. One day that might be all you have.”
4. ”Don’t spend money, spend time. You think what you spend matters? It doesn’t. What you do matters. Jump in puddles, go for walks. Swim in the sea, build a camp and have fun. That’s all they want. I can’t remember what we bought Hughie I can only remember what we did.”
5. ”Sing. Sing songs together. My happiest memories are of Hughie sitting on my shoulders or sitting next to me in the car singing our favorite songs. Memories are created in music.”
6. ”Cherish the simplest of things. Night times, bedtimes, reading stories. Dinners together. Lazy Sundays. Cherish the simplest of times. They are what I miss the most. Don’t let those special times pass you by unnoticed”.
7. ”Always kiss those you love goodbye and if you forget. Go back and kiss them. You never know if it’s the last time you’ll get the chance.”
8. ”Make boring things fun. Shopping trips, car journeys, walking to the shops. Be silly, tell jokes, laugh, smile and enjoy yourselves. They’re only chores if you treat them like that. Life is too short not to have fun.”
9. ”Keep a journal. Write down everything your little ones do that lights up your world. The funny things they say, the cute things they do. We only started doing this after we lost Hughie. We wanted to remember everything. Now we do it for Hettie and we will for Hennie too. You’ll have these memories written down forever and when your older you can look back and cherish every moment.”
10. ”If you have your children with you. To kiss goodnight. To have breakfast with. To walk to school. To take to university. To watch get married. You are blessed. Never ever forget that”
It is hard to read this list without getting choked up. This family has been through something that no parent should ever have to endure. Take the time with your family today to make some memories. You never know when you will need to rely on those memories in your life.