A World Away
I had always lived far from Melbourne, in the bustling city of Manila. My life was filled with the warmth of family and the comfort of my community. But after my mother passed away, I found myself in Melbourne, responsible for handling her affairs. Among these was a storage left behind by my father—a man I had never met.
Growing up, I had always felt a deep sense of anger and confusion about my father. My mother refused to talk about him, leaving me with a void filled with questions and resentment. Why wasn’t he there? Why had he left us? I was angry with him for not being a part of my life, and even angrier with my mother for keeping me in the dark. It felt as though they both had conspired to keep a part of my life hidden from me, a part that I had every right to know.
When I arrived in Melbourne, I knew what I had to do: go through my father’s belongings and take care of the legal matters related to his estate. The storage unit, tucked away in a quiet suburb of Balwyn North, felt like a gateway to a past I had never known.
Discovering Dad
The storage unit was full of forgotten items. As I unlocked the door, I was met with the smell of old papers and dusty keepsakes. I carefully went through the boxes, finding journals, photographs, and letters that began to tell the story of my father’s life in Australia.
The journals described his journey from the Philippines to Australia, showing his struggles, dreams, and how much he missed the family he had left behind. My father had finally started to piece his life together, building a future where he could reunite with us. There were plans in place—plans to bring our family to Melbourne for good. We would have been together, starting a new life in the city he had come to call home.
But just as things were falling into place, tragedy struck. My father was involved in a terrible accident that took his life before he could see his dreams come true. The shock of losing him, just when our lives were about to change for the better, was a pain I could hardly describe. It felt as though the future we had hoped for was ripped away in an instant.
A Letter of Love
One letter stood out—a heartfelt message written shortly after I was born, addressed directly to me. In it, my father shared his hopes and dreams of being with me one day. The letter was proof of the love he had for me, even though he was never able to be in my life. It was heartbreaking to realise how much he had wished for a future together, despite the distance that kept us apart.
Without the items in that storage unit, I would never have known how much my father loved me or the sacrifices he made. It wasn’t just a collection of old items; it was a window into his heart, showing his hope and love for his family.
The Unfulfilled Promise
The contents of the storage unit painted a picture of a man who never gave up on his dream of reuniting with his family. There were documents in storage detailing his plans to move us all to Melbourne—school enrollments, housing arrangements, even a list of places he wanted to show us once we arrived. He had put so much thought into making sure that when we finally joined him, everything would be perfect.
But life had other plans. The accident took him away just as he was about to bring us together. It was as if the universe had played a cruel joke, giving him the hope of a better life with his family, only to snatch it away at the last moment. As I sat among his things, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of what could have been. The life we would never get to live together.
Handling the Legal Side
Dealing with the legal side of my father’s estate was difficult but necessary. I soon found out that I needed to apply for probate in Victoria to manage his estate properly. This process meant making sure his will was valid, dealing with any issues, and following the legal steps.
- Probate Application: I worked closely with a local lawyer to file the necessary paperwork, making sure that my father’s will was confirmed and that I had the legal right to manage his estate.
- Death Registration and Tax Issues: I made sure that my father’s death was registered with the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in Victoria. I also spoke to tax advisors to handle any capital gains tax or other financial matters.
A Temporary Goodbye
While I was deeply touched by my father’s belongings, I faced a problem: I couldn’t stay in Melbourne forever. Balancing my responsibilities and personal life, I decided to use temporary storage with the help of my father’s extended family in Melbourne. This would give me time to finish the legal work and make decisions about my future.
I arranged with my father’s relatives to look after the storage unit. They agreed to keep it safe until I could move to Melbourne permanently. This allowed me to honour my father’s legacy while managing things from a distance.
Heading Home
As the legal work was nearly done, I started preparing to move to Melbourne for good. The thought of moving to the city that had once been just a name now felt like a way to connect with my father’s past. I planned to settle into Melbourne’s lively community and get to know the city that had meant so much to my father. It was a strange comfort to know that my father’s belongings had been safely kept in storage all this time. If it hadn’t been for that storage unit, I might never have truly known him. The journals, letters, and keepsakes filled in the gaps in his story, allowing me to finally understand the man he was. It felt as though the void I had carried with me all these years was slowly being filled.
Navigating life in Melbourne was still new and unfamiliar to me, but I was relieved to learn that the storage unit was part of a mobile storage service. This made things much easier, as it allowed me to have my father’s belongings delivered to wherever I decided to settle. It was a comfort to know that I didn’t have to worry about transporting everything myself, especially as I was still getting used to how life worked in Melbourne.
With the help of my father’s family, I made arrangements to have the mobile storage unit packed and ready for when I moved. This step ensured that all my father’s belongings were safely preserved and waiting for me when I finally made the move.
A New Start
Deciding to let my father’s family look after the storage unit was not just a practical choice but an emotional one. It allowed me to keep his legacy alive while managing the challenges of my situation. The storage unit had become a symbol of my father’s life and love, and by keeping it safe, I was holding on to his legacy until I could fully embrace it in my new home.
As I prepared to move, I felt a deep connection to Melbourne and to my father’s story. The city was no longer just a place; it was becoming a part of my own journey. With every step, I was bringing together my past and future, honouring the love my father had left behind.
The Family Handyman Project 