It wasn't as if we hadn't seen it coming. Mum had been in a fairly frail state since I first met her. To have her had two 90th birthday parties and then see us getting married indeed marvelous - yet we knew she was living on borrowed time. She had been a very active person in her lifetime. She probably had more adventures than an average person had in their lifetime too - being wonderful person as she is. She was in Palestine with the Red Cross. She was shot. She recovered and didn't think she would have children. She was with the woman's division of the navy and drove a truck during world war two. Having married BFL's father and later had two children, she lived in the Far East and Malta before returning to the UK. She's travelled extensively. Was the oldest participant at the age of 60 in the London to Brighton bike race! An amazing seamstress, cook ... homemaker ... she's no less than remarkable and admittedly an inspiration to people like me.
While I don't expect to live that long, I would like to achieve as much as she's done - on my own turf. And most of all, grow old gracefully surrounded and loved by family and friends. At the end of the day, ambition is only hollowed ambition if you don't have loved ones to share it with. Mum, had her priorities right and you could tell how much she's loved by her own children.
Am truly going to miss her, mum. Am going to miss sitting next to her whenever we come down to the cottage and telling her of my week. I'm going to just having her around ... and this is for one who've only known her briefly - it's only been two years since BFL and I first met and about 18 months since I first was introduced to Mum and C.
Here's to a great life well lived! And I hope to achieve the same grace, patience and maturity as she's attained in her life time. You are well loved and dearly missed, Mum.
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