November

[Charliecat5]

It’s been a funny start to November. It started with a party to celebrate my Step Dad’s 70 birthday, which was curry filled with a good topping of Mongoose beer, but was then closely followed by the death of a friend on Sunday morning.

This death wasn’t unexpected as Lou had been ill for quite a long time and in recent months had gone downhill quickly. She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1998 and given a couple of years to live… 16 years later it finally got her. She was one of these people who just don’t accept the hand they’re dealt with. She could have, and it would have been completely understandable, resigned herself to the cruelty of her fate and sunk into despair, but instead she decided to embrace everything positive that life could offer.

Over the last 16 years she hasn’t stopped… looking on we have often felt sorry for her husband and kids who haven’t had a weekend, an hour or even a minute when they weren’t up to some great adventure. And yes, I said kids. She also found the time and energy to have two beautiful girls. She lived life to the full and is (was) an inspiration to all of us.

It is very sad when someone dies, particularly someone like Lou who died before her time; but whilst there is our personal grief to contend with, there is also envy, respect, inspiration and celebration to be had as well… about someone who showed the rest of us how to live.

Next time I am on the hills Lou (and I will be up there soon), I shall raise a salute to you and all that you achieved in the last 16 years and I promise to try as best I can, to follow your example.