Yesterday, my uncle died.

On a day when I was 5,000 miles away from him, my uncle and lifelong, dearest friend, Peter, chose to leave his pain and suffering behind.

My late father’s youngest brother has always been there for me. And since my father died, eleven years ago, we’ve been there for each other.

It was a long weekend in the UK last week. So I got to spend some extra time with Peter. I was talking about my new and exciting opportunity with Bruce Clay. He told me to go for it and wouldn’t hear a word about me not travelling until he was well again. Of course, both he and I knew, he was never going to get well again.

I loved you all my life uncle Peter for being such a great friend and counsellor. And I should have checked my diary. You knew I would be away on the eleventh anniversary of my father, your brother, dying. The exact day you chose to go and be with him again.

Wow. How lonely a hotel room can be when you are so far from home and alone with your grief.