I have been thinking for last couple of years that I wanted to get a memorial stone for my dad who died in 1994. I finally got it together last month and at the weekend we had the stone put in at a cemetery in his home town. He was my best friend later in life after a few years not seeing eye to eye, and I discovered so many great things about him that I never knew; he took a motorbike from Scotland to India in 1954 - way before the hippy trail - and spent 3 months there. The he moved to live in Istanbul in 1957 for his job - a time when you didnt exactly get many tourists going there! H elived there for 4 years and my mum still has so many Turkish knick knacks and antiques from their stay there.Anyway, it was not the best weather Saturday but I took my mum up to Paisley to see the stone finally in place. I had struggled for ages as to what to say on it, but finally settled on my favourite Dylan Thomas poem;  Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light 

Iain!!

I happy for you and your mum, that you manage to do this for your father.

Best wishes!!

Ii just had to come back and say i am proud of you for doing that. Well done!

My Mum died around the same time mate. I totally understand.

Look into deep your heart, whenever you need them, and they are always there.

I really miss my Mum so much.

Cheers,

M

U did a great job ...

i know he lives in your heart and memories and thats what can't be taken away...Embrace those memories and carry them into your future and he will live on......

Rodinos>>> thanks - my main motivation was for my mum but when I rediscovered the Thomas poem I realise dit was for me too!!

Marc>>> You are so right. Any time I have a difficult or risky decision to make I always wonder what my dad would have done and that helps decide

Candy>>> Yes, think the memories will always be strong. Thx babe.

Excellent, ... I'm wondering what motorbike he rode to India, Enfield, Triump? sounds a bit like the motorcycle diaries , real adventure stuff.

you have do the right thing

Good job! Thanks for sharing this with us.

My dad died 26th August last year - he's been gone nearly a year, but I think of him often, and I am so proud of the things he did in his life. You may have seen the journal I did about him - it became the basis for his eulogy - and I was glad to be able to share it with freinds here on TF. Although he is gone, I think of him in the present tense, because he is in my heart and mind - forever.

Your dad sounds like a great guy! An adventurer and traveller - an expat in a romantic time of travel - and a father and friend to his family and son - we can ask nothing more.

Greer