The organge brush

It just occurred to me today while I was reading minimalism testimonials online on the Miss Minimalist website that my dad was a minimalist. My mom isn't, but my dad was.

My dad passed away 5 months ago on October 11, 2014. The day after his 64th birthday. It's still very recent and very difficult to accept that I can't see him, hug him or hear him anymore. My father's voice was so sweet to me. He didn't give himself enough credit for the incredible man that he was. But maybe his modesty added to his greatness. 

Anyway, my dad didn't have or want many things. Growing up, I saw my dad use the exact same orange hair brush every day, and the same green plastic glass whenever he wanted to drink pop. My sister and I joked that those two items would be our inheritance. This was years before he got sick with COPD. 

He was hard to shop for when it came to birthday and Christmas presents. He didn't have many regular hobbies. Life for him was all about family. We'd ask him what he wanted. He would always say "Nothing. I just want to be with you guys". So we would often just get him clothes because he never bought any for himself. 

One of my favourite memories of a "present" that I gave my dad one year for his birthday was when I invited my parents, my sister and her family, and my dad's last living sister to supper in my new house. My aunt Hélène's husband, uncle Pierinot, had recently passed away. I had made my first turkey dinner and it turned out great. My dad was just so thrilled that we were together. He kept saying over and over again how pleased he was and how this was his best birthday. I was so proud to make him so happy. I really loved making him happy!

I'm so thankful that my dad was a minimalist. I hear of so many families who are torn apart over inheritances. By being a minimalist, my dad spared us any possible fights (although, he and my mom raised us right and I can't really imagine that my sister and I would have fought over anything). He also spared us the guilt of having to give away things he left behind. I don't think it was intentional. He just didn't care about things. Well, he didn't care about acquiring things. What he had he took care of, for a very long time. Whenever he got rid of something, it was because it was well worn out.

So what did we get? What was his legacy? In no particular order: we got a great example of devotion to family, of honesty, of work ethic, of love, of tremendous strength, of sincerity, of quiet wisdom, of forgiveness, of responsibility, of humility, of humour, of hope, of respect, of simplicity.

My sister got the green plastic glass, and I got dad's orange brush.