When Clive and I were in Florida in October with Ross and Donna I was shopping in Port Charlotte when I saw a card that I just had to buy and send to Lisa in Australia, it said so much about the way I felt and how much I loved and missed her. the card was unstamped for a couple of days in the car and eventually we posted it. When we arrived in Adelaide to collect Lisa I was given some of her belongings by Nook (her boyfriend) amongst them was this card that had arrived after she had left on that fateful trip. She had never opened it, it really tore me apart that she hadn’t received it. At the service in Adelaide a lovely man called Chris McRae took the service, Chris had lost two boys in car accidents and on the day of Lisa’s service it would have been the birthday of his eldest son had he been alive. Chris knew about the card and how much I was upset by the fact that Lisa hadn’t seen it. He asked me if I would like to read it to Lisa at the service so she would hear the words through my lips, much as it upset me I knew I had to do this and was so grateful to Chris for encouraging me to do it. These are the words;
Daughter
You are in my heart forever
The first time I held you in my arms and you wrapped your tiny hand around my index finger,
I felt my heart swell with immeasurable joy and pride.
I knew that my life had been touched in a miraculous way that would transform every dimension of it forever…
From the moment you were born, you became the focal point of my existence.
Your smile was the sunshine in my heart.
Your happiness was the only treasure I sought.
And so began the great paradox of parenthood.
For when your tiny hand touched mine,
I knew that I had been chosen to nurture you, love you, and then give you the strength to let go.
Letting go is not easy.
But I look at you now- a beautiful young woman,
strong in your convictions and determined to face life on your own terms
and I still feel my heart swell with pride and joy
My dreams for your life might not always be the same ones you seek.
But one thing remains the same: your happiness will always be my greatest treasure.
I know now that the true miracle of that first touch lies in one simple truth:
even though your hand may slip away from mine,
we will hold each other in our hearts forever.
Thinking of you Love Mum
I then added a P.S. (hoping I had brought a tear to her eye ) ‘Get the bucket love M’