I attended the funeral of a close family friend yesterday and have felt waves of grief in the past week. Penny was a close friend of my mothers and they had their eldest baby boys at the same time. I have warm, exciting memory of her from my childhood and although I have not seen her in my adult life I have heard of her life via conversations with mum. Penny died after battling cancer which she had put in remission when her first diagnosis was grim. But two weeks ago it jumped her. She died with her husband and three boys at her bedside and never stopped being a strong and loving mother wife sister and friend. It was incredibly hard to watch her sons ( only a little younger than me) say goodbye to their darling mother. I felt their grief and have found myself wondering how I will greave in the future for my grandparents and parents. I looked across to my parents during the service and saw their grief. To lose a friend is also so hard and to know you cant catch up for a chat ever again. I have made it a focus to remember to see my friends and family when ever I can so that I don't miss those incidental connections and time which can make the fabric life.
