Tag: Grief

Gratitude from Ethiopia

June 2, 2019

This week I’ve been grateful for…. Connecting into incredibly positive energy from the most unexpected quarters on the far side of Africa. Feeling the love of so many people across the globe who knew, loved and were touched in some way by my amazing mother, and feel the absence of her presence in the world … More Gratitude from Ethiopia

Gratitude

May 10, 2018

Today I’m grateful for… Moments of pure, uncluttered grief, to feel the intensity of how much I miss my beloved mother, and how much she continues to inspire me. Feeling my energy start to shift, however subtly, and knowing that today was an easier day than yesterday. Holding a balance between offering support but maintaining … More Gratitude

5 Years Gone

May 31, 2016

How did I mark the 5th anniversary of my mother’s death? With tears, of course. And music, as I naturally do. With memories, and smiles, and more tears. With an amazingly productive day of Strategic Planning at the organisation where she once worked, and where she brought as much passion as I now bring, in her own … More 5 Years Gone

Articulating Grief

March 17, 2016

Brene Brown, in her brilliant book “Rising Strong”, writes about what she calls the process of “Rumbling with Grief.” What she describes is probably the closest description of some of the things I have most struggled with in grieving, but found very hard to grasp or articulate. I was moved to share some quotes from … More Articulating Grief

Morning Tears

July 24, 2015

I pulled over into a driveway, the usual busy morning traffic continuing to flow steadily past me; tears streaming, body shaken with sobs. As I heard the opening lines of Judy Collin’s “Who Knows Where the Time Goes”, all my senses were flooded with vivid flashbacks to Scotland, 2011: the texture of the grey skies … More Morning Tears

Musical Memories

May 31, 2015

When I saw there was a Baroque 2000 ensemble performance at a local Monastery on the 31st May, I knew instantly that it would be a wonderful way to spend some time communing with memories of my mother on this fourth anniversary of her death. I have such a powerful recollections of sitting with her, … More Musical Memories

Missing

April 29, 2015

There are times I miss my mother so intensely I feel destabilised. I close my eyes just to see again her familiar gestures and expressions. I am amazed how simply the fact of her existence in the world used to be such a great comfort, even when we hadn’t spoken in weeks, living continents apart. Mostly, these … More Missing

A Final Breath

April 4, 2015

She came to us from trauma: Born with HIV in her blood, Neglected; withdrawn. She didn’t know how to play With the toys placed before her. Over the months we watched her transformation – Her smile emerged, gradually, Until it would brighten any room With its mischievous spirit. As she learnt to play, To talk, … More A Final Breath