Still. Life.

Chris Wood: 16th June 1941 ~ 11th January 2009

Still gone. Still much missed. Still remembered every day

and yet

Life changes. Life rearranges. Life pushes on around us regardless


This is a photo of Dad's old guitar, one of his old cameras, his Oxford/Exeter College scarf, a 1919 bird book that he inherited from his own father, his old bendy artist's horse, and a rose from my "Dad" rose bush (really called Rhapsody in Blue) that we gave an identical one of as a gift to him on the last birthday he ever celebrated in 2008.

I've learnt that it is strong - not weak - to be honest about your feelings and that those who care will support you and will try to understand when you need to immerse yourself in memories or thoughts about a loved one.
Thoughts from my fellow writery, tweetery friends on Twitter this morning:
'It always is a test to remember the good things,' said Pete.
'There is a comfort in still feeling the sense of loss,' said Jo.
'It's no different after 5 years,' said Stephen.

Thanks to Pete I have tried to remember the good things.
The scarf represents Dad's languages degree that became the basis for his career - and he truly was a master of wordplay - but his greatest passions were art, music and walking. He used to go bird-watching with Bill Oddie at school and I'm devastated that all his knowledge and experience has died with him. He taught himself to draw, to take photographs and to play the guitar. He loved many different types of music but especially enjoyed the twisty surprising sing-songiness of jazz. He also loved his garden and experimented with planting like a painter would with a paints on a canvas.

The 16th June is the day that marks a birth not a death. Therefore I will think of the good things that came from that birth and celebrate the birthday of a very special man.

Cheers, Dad. Love you, miss you. Your absence is felt as greatly as ever - perhaps more so. This is because you were truly loved.

Here's a link to Round Midnight by Miles Davis and John Coltrane that my younger sister shared online this morning for dad's birthday: Miles Davis and John Coltrane: Round Midnight