A Sad Goodbye

“I am a Yorkshire born painter and writer, living in the south of England. I paint the strange things that come as images in dreams and fantasies and write about life as it happens. 
I was raised in a spiritually eclectic family in a landscape where myths and legends were
woven into the stones, and have always had an intimate relationship
with the inner worlds and the understanding that all paths are but spokes on a wheel, 
leading ultimately to the same centre.
It is not the path that one walks that matters, but how one chooses to walk it.
                             Sue Vincent

I am very grateful that so many years ago I discovered WordPress and the joys of blogging.  Over time I have met many folk: some have become friends and two have become sisters of choice – Chris at Bridges Burning and Dor at Country Living. 

Many have come for a short while and then moved on but many more have stayed true and while I cannot name them all here, they know who they are.  Darlene is always there to comment and support as are Catterel, Nancy, Donna, SallyAnn  and Lois to name a few. Others we have bid goodbye either because their life has changed and they are following another path or in a few sad cases, life has ceased.

But one who has been there probably from almost the beginning is Sue Vincent.  Sue it is who writes daily on many and varied subjects, always with a purpose and always managing to bring to mind something on which to dwell for the rest of the day. She also kept us involved; she wrote poetry, had several books published, was an artist and so much more. So it was with much regret that after reading today’s post from the indomitable Sue, I had to reblog it.  Click here to read it.

Along with 19,500 (and counting) followers, I have to say “Goodbye and fly freely to your next stage, your next adventure wherever it may find you.  Know you will be greatly missed.”

Missing You

A sunny Saturday afternoon here in Wellington, New Zealand, but the sun isn’t shining here in our house.  A black cloud hangs over everything at present and  I cant see through the tears to  tell you all how I feel.  But I found this quote in a book the other day and it say what I can’t.

“Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world,
which I find myself constantly walking around
in the daytime and falling in at night.
I miss you like hell.”
Edna St Vincent Millay
American lyrical poet and playwright.
1892-1950

The book is entitled “Goodbye for Times of Sadness & Loss” by Melanie G Mason.

And now I should like to thank you all for the outpouring of love, kindness and support at the recent tragic event in my life.  But my darling Architect would not have wanted me to fall into that slough of despair where I have been once before.  So I am working on picking myself up, dusting myself off and starting all over again as Jerome Kern exhorted us.

So watch this space.  Who knows what will happen next.  But do all take care and cherish each and every day because tomorrow may never come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Hard Decision

Lotte Baxter
Loving friend; Faithful companion
2006-2013
RIP

My darling, beautiful little girl was gently put to sleep late last night.  Her big, brave heart could no longer keep her alive; it was almost stopped.  And so I made the very hard decision to let her go.

I held her as the vet injected her, told her how much I loved her and those beautiful eyes looked at me one last time then she quietly slipped away.

Now through my tears, I console myself with the fact that though she had only a short life, she had a happy one.

So now my love using the same words I used on  my late husband’s memorial cards – “Soar High; Fly free; Breathe easy”

So goodbye and thank you for sharing your life with me.
You will be greatly missed my special friend.

Weekly Writing Challenge 29/01/13

Have you discovered the Weekly Writing Challenge yet?  For this week’s challenge we were given this picture and asked to write a blog around it.

Do you see the activity in the photo?  Several groups of people milling around the tram stop, some ascending the hill and some descending.  And the couple on the opposite side of the road, standing on the rain-swept steps saying hello or goodbye.

Well those of you who have read any of my posts in the past know that I am an incurable romantic.  So I see these two young lovers being forced to say goodbye.  Their liaison is not encouraged by either set of parents and in fact, we can see her parents waiting impatiently on the other side of the road for her to finish her goodbyes and to board the tram with them. And if she doesn’t hurry they will miss this tram and have to wait another 20 minutes for the next one.  Why doesn’t she hurry when she knows that it will only make things worse if they miss the tram because of her?

But our two young lovers are in no hurry to part.  They know that once they do it may well be several years before they see each other again – if at all.  He is going off to America to school while she is forced to stay here in Turin to continue her studies and to help look after ailing grandparents.  The young couple has discovered that it is possible for her to go with him  to study in the US but it is also impossible.  Her duty to her family is so well inculcated in her being that she finds it almost unthinkable to walk away from her responsibilities.

But why should this be in one so young?  Why should these responsibilities fall on her young shoulders?  The elderly grandparents have each lived a long and probably useful and happy life; the parents too have lived and have no doubt enjoyed, many years of happiness together, so why therefore, should this young woman not be allowed the same chance of happiness.

For the past several weeks, the mother has been nagging her to stay.  Not to go to the US with the young man.  “Who will help with Nonni if you go? ”  ” I am getting older and I should have some time now to enjoy myself”  “Dont be so selfish.  Think of others” she says constantly.  “But I should also be allowed time to enjoy myself; time to find out who I am and where in this world I fit” responds the young woman.  Then the father chimes in with “Your Mamma and I have spent many years tending you and providing for your health and well-being.  Now it is time for you to consider us”.

The young woman is torn between longing to get away with her lover and her duty to her family.  So many questions plague her mind.  If she doesn’t go with him will he find somebody new in this new world into which he is going?  And will he soon forget her and the promises they have made to each other?  Or will he come back to her after his studies are finished as he has promised.

If she stays will she always regret not going with him and if she goes will she regret not being the obedient daughter she was trained to be.  How can she make a decision, one so important that it could well change the rest of her life.

But now we see from the picture that a decision has been made.  Because she is a dutiful  Italian daughter and has been brought up with the idea of family being the most important thing in the world, she will let him go to America without her.  She will stay to help look after the old grandparents and if necessary, her own parents who are also getting older.  She will keep her love alive by letters and emails and occasional telephone calls to and from her lover and trust that he will come back to her once his studies are over.

But we fear for her.  We think that once he is free from his family restrictions  and expectations (although as a son the expectations of his caring for family members is not so strong) he might find that the attractions of this new life quickly erase the memories of his old life.  And unfortunately this might include the girl.

If this should be so, will she become embittered and blame her parents for her unhappiness.  Or alternatively, with her young lover in America for several years will she be the one who doesn’t keep her promises.?  Will she find another boy to love?  And this one may well be more suited to her and her life; staying in the area and thereby allowing her to fulfil her obligations to her family without surrendering her life to them.

Perhaps we can revisit this young couple and their family at some later stage to check on them and how their lives are working out. I think I should like to do that.

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.
Anthony Brandt, author