It was a beautiful day. A day that had risen in the aftermath of a storm. The birds had come out to sing. Children running around the park without any idea of the heartbreak the years ahead may bring them. Couples were walking hand in hand - hoping that the other does not let go before they do.

It was almost a year ago that I sat my parents down and delivered the news to them. They were stunned and could not quite understand what I was saying. There were a few seconds of silence that felt like an eternity, followed by some melodrama that was reminiscent of of the TV serials that my mother indulges in.

It's my father's 70th birthday this week and this has made me reminisce and reflect on my relationship with a man who for a long time has been a stranger that I have shared a home with.