Hello all, I'm John from Brooklyn.

Recently, I said my final goodbye to my father. Our relationship was complex - I spent many of my younger years nursing old wounds, distanced from him. But with time comes understanding, and luckily, reconciliation.

I came to see the man beneath the father figure, the human behind the parent.

In his twilight years, we found common ground and forgave each other. His passing has left a void, yet it also brought a certain peace - knowing he lived a full life and we had our closure.

I've never been religious, more of an agnostic. Life's complexities don't end with passing, but love and understanding can heal old wounds. Here's to the memories of a father, a man, a life.