Today is Monday—a day many of us associate with new beginnings, busy routines, and perhaps even a bit of dread. But for me, this Monday has a deeper weight. Three years ago, I lost my father. It’s strange how anniversaries like this feel. Sometimes, it feels like it just happened yesterday, and at other times, it feels like a lifetime ago. Grief has its own peculiar timeline, doesn’t it?

We didn’t talk every day. My father spent much of his retired life abroad, far from the everyday routines we shared while I was growing up. Even when he got sick and came back closer to home, our interactions were fewer than I’d have liked. And now, three years later, I still catch myself feeling like he’s just out of the country, like he’ll be back any moment. The permanence of loss sometimes doesn’t quite settle in; it feels unreal, like a bad dream that hasn’t fully woken me up.

When I think about everything that has unfolded since he passed—changes in my life, milestones reached, and challenges endured—I have to stop and catch my breath. Would things have been different if he were still here? Would I have made different choices? These questions swirl in my mind, but they’re questions without answers. What I do know is that his absence has left an imprint, a space where he once stood so firmly.

There’s an old saying about Monday morning quarterbacks—those who look back with perfect hindsight, wishing they had played the game differently. I sometimes catch myself doing the same in life, replaying moments and decisions with “what ifs” and “should haves.” But here’s the thing: life doesn’t allow us to rewind or redo. Regret, while natural, isn’t a place where we can live. Instead, I’ve learned to take the lessons from my father’s absence and use them to shape a life with fewer future regrets.

What have I learned? So much. Losing him taught me to cherish the people I love, to hold onto moments, and to speak the words that matter—while there’s still time. It’s a lesson that has reshaped me, sharpened me, and pushed me to become more intentional in how I live my life. Everything that happens to us, no matter how painful, carries a purpose. And if we allow it, that purpose can guide us toward becoming our radiant selves.

Today, as I honor my father, I choose to carry his memory with love and light. I reflect on the values he instilled in me, the strength he showed, and the love he gave. He’s forever in my heart, not just as a memory but as a part of who I am. And even in his absence, he continues to shape my journey.

So, to you reading this, I encourage you to think about your own life. Are there lessons hidden in your pain? Are there regrets you can turn into actions for a brighter future? Let us all use our experiences—good and bad—to reshape ourselves into something better. Let us carry forward the love we’ve known, honoring those who’ve gone before us by living fully, authentically, and with purpose.

Here’s to my father—forever in my heart, shaping my journey. And here’s to all of us, learning, growing, and becoming radiant in the face of life’s challenges.