No need to thank me for my support, Hazel. Rarely read the main forums on TP nowadays but obviously I was having a ‘missing mum moment’ and was drawn to the loss section where I hoped to find some like-minded soul who had also been moved – albeit in different circumstances and perhaps for different reasons - about the events of the weekend.
It was some sort of relief to find your thread there and comments from others who as you said didn’t make me feel I was ‘off the wall’. Thanks all of you!
In fact, reflected on this today and find it interesting – where the first couple of years for me 'after mum' were very raw and significant dates/anniversaries would trigger feelings of grief, now I seem fine with those - it’s an event or occasion or some parallel perhaps in the news, or something where ‘I wish mum (dad/SIL/MIL etc) could be here to see this moment’ that highlights the great gaping holes those we have loved leave us with.
Like you, Hazel, I don’t feel maudlin at all ... in fact I am actively planning to celebrate what would have been mum’s 80th birthday next month
... but it’s surprising what affects us sometimes? Can’t be a bad thing – shows we are human and have empathy and compassion?
I couldn’t help notice the space between the chairs at the Service of Thanksgiving ... at least someone had the grace to make sure there was no obvious ‘empty chair’ – but the Prince’s absence was so palpable? As is the loss in all our lives .... and those damned ‘holes’ that occasionally open up and invite you to fall down? And HM no different to the rest of us when it comes to pain, worry and loss. Except she has to keep smiling - or at least fulfilling her duties - while I can go crawl into a corner and weep if I want to.
Take care, Karen, x
It was some sort of relief to find your thread there and comments from others who as you said didn’t make me feel I was ‘off the wall’. Thanks all of you!
In fact, reflected on this today and find it interesting – where the first couple of years for me 'after mum' were very raw and significant dates/anniversaries would trigger feelings of grief, now I seem fine with those - it’s an event or occasion or some parallel perhaps in the news, or something where ‘I wish mum (dad/SIL/MIL etc) could be here to see this moment’ that highlights the great gaping holes those we have loved leave us with.
Like you, Hazel, I don’t feel maudlin at all ... in fact I am actively planning to celebrate what would have been mum’s 80th birthday next month
... but it’s surprising what affects us sometimes? Can’t be a bad thing – shows we are human and have empathy and compassion? I couldn’t help notice the space between the chairs at the Service of Thanksgiving ... at least someone had the grace to make sure there was no obvious ‘empty chair’ – but the Prince’s absence was so palpable? As is the loss in all our lives .... and those damned ‘holes’ that occasionally open up and invite you to fall down? And HM no different to the rest of us when it comes to pain, worry and loss. Except she has to keep smiling - or at least fulfilling her duties - while I can go crawl into a corner and weep if I want to.
Take care, Karen, x
