5 October 2020

 

I was reminded a brief moment ago about a beautiful formative lesson on love, given to us four brothers by our dear mother. When we were very little boys we had a truly hansome cat, a ginger tom and proud of that he was. Then a kind neighbour presented us with a cute little puppy, a little mongrel who grew into the most faithful dog imaginable. When the puppy arrived our mother gently explained that our love for the cat was not lessened, instead the love was multiplied and shared, love we were told expands and multiplies. I now know that there is a very special strength in sharing love, and this is especially true when we face a trauma or crisis. As I write there is the global trauma and crisis of the corona virus pandemic, which the world is having to learn to deal with in all it's consequences. People must actually unite in a genuinely altruistic way to protect everyone else. We must share human love to support others. Away from this pandemic there are many private and personal traumas and crisis, as I can personally testify. Other diseases continue to rip into people's lives causing pain and heartache.

Time is clearly drawing my dear mother's life to it's conclusion and over the past five days her physical deterioration has become much worse. I only leave her when she is in a deep sleep. Since I became her full time carer, all I have ever wanted for her is be as comfortable as possible, unfortunately that is no longer really achievable even with the most effective pain relieve. The most awful thing is to watch, helpless, as the cancer consumes every aspect of her physical being, yet her mental capacity is so far virtually untouched... The exit from this life is often horrible, marked by distinct stages, it is always overwhelmingly sad. I have been privileged to have been able to care for my mother. We still tease each other, I have learnt a vast amount from her and I have grown in a very special way, yet still learning and loving this most special lady, my mother.

A shared expression love.