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<blockquote data-quote="Pretzel" data-source="post: 601614" data-attributes="member: 12257">2016 sucked.&nbsp; Not a lot of pics, some highs, mostly lows...&nbsp; but 2017 will be mine.January '16 led to the end of a 24 year journey with the woman I thought would remain forever.&nbsp; Here's to hoping she finds greater happiness...&nbsp; less than a month later, I found out my father (in Florida) had stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to liver, brain, bone and more.&nbsp; I spent my savings to get down there as much as possible, had one of the greatest FINAL HUZZAH weeks ever known to mankind.&nbsp; 3 weeks after that last huzzah, in September, he passed on to greater glory.The kicker?&nbsp; 1 month before he passed, I found out my mom was in the exact same scenario, but this time I was here to take care of her all the way through.&nbsp; Just two kids to my name, and no other family here...&nbsp; I took on her care myself until she passed just recently on 1/9/17.&nbsp; As you can see from my thread, there weren't a lot of pictures taken as I was focused on other things, but there were some.&nbsp; I'll chronicle it all some day, maybe here.&nbsp; In the meantime, I'll share a photo a friend shot (edited by me just slightly) with her cell phone while I was unaware, and of all the pictures I have ever seen, this one moves my own heart the most, from now and forever.&nbsp; It's probably because of my emotional connection and nothing more.&nbsp; I had just turned down an offer to sleep while she watched over mom because I knew things were winding down.&nbsp; I told her, &quot;This is MY watch.&quot;&nbsp; So she stepped back, and while I held my mom's hand and prayed for peace, she snuck a shot in.I'll miss my Pops, and miss my Mama even more.&nbsp; That was it...&nbsp; I have no more family other than a few cousins and my own two kids (although I have a grandbaby due in August!), so I am now the Patriarch.What a weight..........&nbsp; but I will return to photography en force this year, as both of my parents enjoyed and encouraged my art, and it's still one of my driving passions.&nbsp; Until then...&nbsp; if you have parents left, love them.&nbsp; Spend time with them.&nbsp; And when it comes to the end of their road, stand with them and take up the watch.&nbsp; You will never regret it, even as you suffer the most intense grief known to mankind.&quot;My watch...&quot;[ATTACH=full]241738[/ATTACH]</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Pretzel, post: 601614, member: 12257"] 2016 sucked. Not a lot of pics, some highs, mostly lows... but 2017 will be mine. January '16 led to the end of a 24 year journey with the woman I thought would remain forever. Here's to hoping she finds greater happiness... less than a month later, I found out my father (in Florida) had stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to liver, brain, bone and more. I spent my savings to get down there as much as possible, had one of the greatest FINAL HUZZAH weeks ever known to mankind. 3 weeks after that last huzzah, in September, he passed on to greater glory. The kicker? 1 month before he passed, I found out my mom was in the exact same scenario, but this time I was here to take care of her all the way through. Just two kids to my name, and no other family here... I took on her care myself until she passed just recently on 1/9/17. As you can see from my thread, there weren't a lot of pictures taken as I was focused on other things, but there were some. I'll chronicle it all some day, maybe here. In the meantime, I'll share a photo a friend shot (edited by me just slightly) with her cell phone while I was unaware, and of all the pictures I have ever seen, this one moves my own heart the most, from now and forever. It's probably because of my emotional connection and nothing more. I had just turned down an offer to sleep while she watched over mom because I knew things were winding down. I told her, "This is MY watch." So she stepped back, and while I held my mom's hand and prayed for peace, she snuck a shot in. I'll miss my Pops, and miss my Mama even more. That was it... I have no more family other than a few cousins and my own two kids (although I have a grandbaby due in August!), so I am now the Patriarch. What a weight.......... but I will return to photography en force this year, as both of my parents enjoyed and encouraged my art, and it's still one of my driving passions. Until then... if you have parents left, love them. Spend time with them. And when it comes to the end of their road, stand with them and take up the watch. You will never regret it, even as you suffer the most intense grief known to mankind. "My watch..." [ATTACH type="full"]241738._xfImport[/ATTACH] [/QUOTE]

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