My sympathies on your loss, Phaedrus. The poem is beautiful and such a wonderful sentiment. When I take Gidget for a walk this evening, the breeze and birds will have special meaning.

A friend in their sixties who lost their mom and dad observed that we're never too old to feel orphaned when our parents pass. I thought that accurately captured how profound the loss is. It has been six years since my father died (suddenly via heart attack) and sometimes it still seems unreal.

Best wishes to you and your family. And a prayer for your father: may he rest in peace.