Henry James once said, “Sorrow comes in great waves…but it rolls over us, and though it may almost smother us, it passes and we remain.”

Loss is an inevitable part of life, and grief is a natural part of the healing process. Coping with the loss of a close friend or family member may be one of the hardest challenges that many of us face. Loss is understood as a natural part of life, but we can still be overcome by shock and confusion, leading to prolonged periods of sadness or depression. The sadness typically diminishes in intensity as time passes, but grieving is an important process in order to overcome these feelings and continue to embrace the time you had with your loved one.

I knew it was coming; yet when I heard the news it felt like someone punched me in my stomach. He battled so much to stay alive this year. He pulled through for 8 long months and we enjoyed several months of catching up and celebrating heart-warming memories.

 Papa, as I fondly called him, had a great impact on my sister’s and my life. From being the first person to write me my first letter in boarding school, my first ever article for Spotlight magazine, to be the only person who has tasted the maximum number of items on my bakery’s menu, Papa has been part of both my childhood and adulthood memories. Great personality, integrity, and strong willpower have been some of his traits that we highly admire.

 A man as humble and loving as Papa will always be remembered by those of us who knew him and loved him. For those of you who don’t know me and are confused who I am talking about, this humble man was known to the nation as Kriti Nidhi Bista. He was the former Prime Minister and one of the highest regarded politicians in the country. Not only did we lose a loving person, but also one of the greatest leaders of our nation.

Papa was a great man. When I think about him the words that come to mind are caring, humorous, faithful, respectful, humble, and strong. These are just a few words that come to mind, but it is impossible to summarize how great of a person he was in words.

My earliest memories of time spent with him are visiting his house. My sister and I would visit him and he would sing to us and give us chocolates. Whenever he went on trips he would be sure to get us gifts when he returned. I didn’t fully appreciate it then, but looking back it was really wonderful how much attention he gave us.

As my sister and I grew older and became busier with our own lives we saw him less and less. Even though the visits to his house were less frequent, he always made an effort to come and see how we were doing. If we didn’t go and see him for two days in a row he would come over to see us on the third day.

Despite the things I wish I would have done, I’m grateful for all the good times we had together. I’m grateful for all the time he spent with us and shared his wisdom. He may not be here on this earth, but his spirit, love, and legacy live on.  You just never realize how big a space friends and family take up in your heart until they’re gone and the void left behind feels un-fillable.

 A man as humble and loving as  Papa will always be remembered although we will miss him —his smile, and his love— we take consolation in the warmth of our memories.