Richard Pringle’s three-year-old boy was “soft, gentle, caring and so lovable” that he could turn even the dullest things into fun and magical experiences his father will remember forever. Those three years Richard got to spend with his beautiful boy are the best three years of his life.
Sadly, the boy died suddenly on August 18, 2016 and left deep sorrow in his father’s heart.
According to Mirror Online, Hughie had a brain condition but led a completely normal life up until that fateful day when he suffered from brain hemorrhage and unfortunately, nothing could be done.
This bereaved parent from Hastings, East Sussex took a year for himself and tried to come to terms with the tragedy that struck his life after which he shared with the world what it really felt like to experience a loss of a child.
He shared his deepest feelings on the social media with the sole purpose to warn parents to never take the time they get to spend with their kids for granted.
Below are the 10 lessons Richard learned after losing his son – in his words. This is so touching.
“1. You can never ever kiss and love too much.
“2. You always have time. Stop what you’re doing and play, even if it’s just for minute. Nothing’s that important that it can’t wait.
“3. Take as many photos and record as many videos as humanly possible. One day that might be all you have.
“4. Don’t spend money; spend time. You think what you spend matters? It doesn’t. What you do matters. Jump in puddles; go for walks. Swim in the sea, build a camp, and have fun. That’s all they want. I can’t remember what we bought Hughie; I can only remember what we did.
“5. Sing. Sing songs together. My happiest memories are of Hughie sitting on my shoulders or sitting next to me in the car singing our favourite songs. Memories are created in music.
“6. Cherish the simplest of things. Night times, bedtimes, reading stories. Dinners together. Lazy Sundays. Cherish the simplest of times. They are what I miss the most. Don’t let those special times pass you by unnoticed.
“7. Always kiss those you love goodbye and if you forget. Go back and kiss them. You never know if it’s the last time you’ll get the chance.
“8. Make boring things fun. Shopping trips, car journeys, walking to the shops. Be silly, tell jokes, laugh, smile, and enjoy yourselves. They’re only chores if you treat them like that. Life is too short not to have fun.
“9. Keep a journal. Write down everything your little ones do that lights up your world. The funny things they say, the cute things they do. We only started doing this after we lost Hughie. We wanted to remember everything. Now we do it for Hettie, and we will for Hennie too. You’ll have these memories written down forever and when you’re older, you can look back and cherish every moment.
“10. If you have your children with you. To kiss goodnight. To have breakfast with. To walk to school. To take to university. To watch get married. You are blessed. Never ever forget that.”
His gut-wrenching post on Facebook went viral.
These deep words and feelings touched the hearts of millions of people who got to read them. Many shared similar stories and expressed how they understand what he is talking about, whereas others believe Richard should publish a book that will help parents learn how lucky they are to have their children by their side.
Don’t ever forget to put your children first. They are our most precious gift from God.