By Elisabeth Fayt, RnR Wellness Spa Owner & Best-selling Author of Paving It Forward

My father’s last words to me were a simple four-word sentence: “Elisabeth, you’re far too busy.” I spent the next sixteen years learning what he truly meant.

For many, June is simply the official gateway to summer. But for me, June arrives with a unique, bittersweet melody. It is the month of my father’s birthday, the month we celebrate Father’s Day, and this month marks exactly 16 years since his passing.

So when June rolls around, I find myself wrapped in his memory and reminded of the greatest lessons he taught me.

When I first opened RnR Wellness in the Fairmont Palliser 16 years ago, my father would often be spotted walking around the spa, helping fix things, folding robes and generally just helping out wherever help was needed.

One day we were finishing at the same time and I said “Hey Dad, I’ll drive you home.” So we sat in the car and for the whole 25-minute drive I ended up on a call with one of my Managers on speaker-phone.

At the end of the call, we reached our destination and I said with a casual smile: “Good timing! Thanks for your help, Dad”. And he looked at me, grabbed my hand and said: “Elisabeth, you’re far too busy”.

I didn’t pay too much attention at the time. I was silently flattered actually, thinking, my Dad is proud of me for being busy!

A few weeks later, he was gone. He passed away later that month (June 2010).

His words rang through my head continuously for months after his passing as I went through the different stages of grief. Three questions kept coming to mind:

What am I doing?
Why am I doing it?
And who is it all for?

Every time I pondered these questions, I would get a different answer. My thoughts continued to evolve and finally came to an epiphany! The questions were redundant. The message was this:

The most important task is the one I’m doing right now.
And the most important person is the one in front of me.

When I had my beautiful father in the car with me that day, I had failed to see at the time that he was the most important person in that moment.

Well, this epiphany changed my life. I made some changes in my daily routine to free up mental space. I became more present: with my husband, my children and everyone around me.

It was the eye opener I needed to make a positive change in my life. I just wish I could have had a few more moments in the car with my Dad, to turn the speaker-phone off and simply tell him, ‘I’m here, Dad. I hear you.’

Energy cannot be destroyed, it can only change form. Well, sixteen years may have passed since I last held my Dad’s hand, but his love will never expire.

So let’s all think about the men in our lives: our fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers and mentors who have made a difference. And I invite you to honor them by putting down your phones and giving them the gift of your full presence.

Whether your father is sitting across from you at the dinner table, or like mine, watching over you from the stars, June is a beautiful time to show gratitude.

To my Dad: “Thank you for the greatest lesson of my life.”

Yours in wellness,

Elisabeth