On my birthday bank holiday (the Monday after a Saturday anniversary), I sat watching big flakes of snow drift to earth. I was in a melancholy mood, listening to a Spotify playlist of songs from the emotional drama This Is Us - a beautifully curated soundtrack that perfectly complements the series’ superb storytelling.After blubbing my way through two more tear-jerking episodes, I sought … [Read more...] about Why I’m still a believer (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
My Personal Stories
Will you still read me when I’m 64?
I grew up listening to The Beatles. I was 10 when Sgt Pepper was released, so I’ve been aware of When I’m Sixty-Four for a long time. This evergreen song has informed some of my beliefs about ageing, and what age is considered to be “old”. So I accept the inevitability of someone quoting the lyrics at me when I actually reach the age of 64 in the next few days. Part of me is horrified, part of … [Read more...] about Will you still read me when I’m 64?
Why we’re all living with some kind of ‘living loss’
“I’ve been crying my way through This Is Us,” said my niece. “Hands down one of the best series ever made. Deep therapy. Love and loss.” I hadn’t heard of this series before, but as I have access to Amazon Prime at the moment, I checked it out and started watching the first season (there are five). It weaves together the stories of four generations of the Pearson family, revolving around … [Read more...] about Why we’re all living with some kind of ‘living loss’
Who are you missing this Christmas?
This will be our first Christmas without Mum. I know many other families will be missing loved ones from the festive table this year - whether through death, illness or simply not being able to get together due to Covid restrictions. But I think there's something extra-poignant about an absent mother. No matter how she might have been feeling, Mum always made sure we had a lovely … [Read more...] about Who are you missing this Christmas?
Perhaps we should see grief as our constant companion
I've just discovered that tomorrow (8th December) is the final day of National Grief Awareness Week, the existence of which I wasn't aware of until today. The irony being that I am, and have long been, constantly aware of grief. The campaign is being run by The Good Grief Trust, which aims to normalise grief, get people to talk about it, and offer support from day one to anyone suffering a … [Read more...] about Perhaps we should see grief as our constant companion
This is how the story ends…
It has been almost three months since my mum passed away. Since then, I've written about the eulogy I delivered at her funeral, and how I felt when the furniture was cleared from her flat. I've also written about the grief cycle I've experienced over the past four years. In other words, I've spent a lot of time thinking about death and dying. A friend of mine, who also lost her mother in … [Read more...] about This is how the story ends…