Today marks 8 months since I had my total knee replacement. It also marks 6 years since I lost my beautiful mother to aggressive stomach cancer.
As each year goes by it saddens me more, how much of the rest of my life she is missing and how far back I have to go to find photos of us.
The meal photo (bottom centre) was the last time we ever went out together. Soon after that I moved to New Zealand. She was diagnosed with cancer 4 days later died while I was on a plane on my way back to England.
The graduation photo was my Masters Degree in special needs. She was sooo proud of me, no one in the history of my family had every been to university, I graduated not once but twice.
The Birthday was my 40th, she arranged a big fancy hotel and medical banquet, got that cake specially made with a photo on it of me as a baby, and one of me racing. She called a lifelong friend of mine from Uni and got her up there too – all without me knowing. It was all a total surprise.
Grief following the loss of a parent never gets any easier.
This is the beach that I sit on on every anniversary of the day that mum grew her angel wings.
On my return from England after her funeral I sat on this beach crying for what felt like hours and hours.
It’s where I return to when I want to spend quiet time remembering her. The video footage is the beach, this afternoon.
The poem was written by me, today. The music is Amazing Grace; this was played at her funeral and her fathers funeral so holds a special place in my heart and has done for many years.
Melanie Magowan 