Uncle

I have been wanting to write this for awhile now, but it's been very difficult. Each time I start, tears are shed. He would have been 51 on 25 February this year, instead he left us on the 8th.

I have made some of my most beautiful cupcakes for his birthday and I regret not being able to do it once again this year. I really will miss him and so will many others whose life he touched.

Here's an excerpt from his favourite book The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It describes our relationship, which started off very simply as 'my friend's husband' and then took on that of a dear friend and secret-keeper.

'What does "tame" mean?'

'Something that is frequently neglected,' said the fox. 'It means "to create ties".'

'To create ties?'

'Precisely,' said the fox. 'To me, you are still only a small boy, just like a hundred thousand other small boys. And I have no need of you. And you in turn have no need of me. To you, I'm just a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you shall be unique in the world. To you, I shall be unique in the world.'

I shall miss you.