I am a Brit, writing this while on holiday in Portugal. Most of the year I live in Malaysia. No, I’m not rich, yes, I’m disappointed too. My penny’s worth:

1. I’ve always subscribed to the European project and am ashamed of Brexit. I apologise to my European siblings that I wasn’t able to convince close family members to remain.
2. East Asia is close to eating our collective breakfast, lunch and dinner. Brits, leave the past behind, it’s over. We still have many wonderful attributes to contribute to Europe. They and us are stronger together.
3. Being the 51st state of America does not seem like a very good idea, at all.
4. I’m just turning 60 and remember the current, decimal pound being introduced. It’s younger than me, it’s not something to be nostalgic about.
5. It is the 21st century. Britain needs a governmental system appropriate for it, one that provides the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Our current system benefits the few and the legacy few at the expense of the many. Europe provides a better framework. I wish you all well but let’s pull our collective head out of our arse and get back into Europe, with humility, where we belong.

I lost my mum 19 years ago. I’ve learned that the pain is a signal that I truly loved her, and I still do but time diminishes the hurt. I’ve learned that she still lives on in my thoughts, “what would mum do?”, I reflect on tricky issues, and she’s back in my world, just not physically. I notice I’ve inherited some of her mannerisms the more I age, so she’s never far away and continuing to persist through me. It sounds as if your dad raised you to be a caring, loving thinker. He’s succeeded, he’d be proud. Now take a deep breath and carry his legacy forward.