That was the month we started the year by saying goodbye
To be read while playing It’s a Wonderful World by Louie Armstrong or the theme tune to World of Sport – Your Call!
Theme tune to World of Sport: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWxcx4msBMA
The end of the first month of 2022 is upon us. Some of you welcomed in the new year arm in arm with friends and neighbours singing Auld Lang Syne at full volume. Full of hope and optimism. For us, as a family, we had spent the whole of the festive season awaiting “the call.” It came finally on New Year’s Day morning, to say that Olive had taken her last breath and passed away peacefully at 10.20am on Saturday 1st January 2022.
The call brought mixed emotions – heart break at the passing of my husband’s beloved Mother Olive, at the ripe old age of 101. And blessed relief, as she was freed from the burden that dementia had put upon her and on us as a family. We no longer recognised the person she had become. Over the last few months the joyous woman who was forever smiling had turned in to a person she would have hated and one we struggled to love.
The first three weeks of the year may have been all about resolutions and new goals for most of you, with your sights firmly set on the success of your hoped for achievements.
We have spent this past three weeks planning a funeral that would encompass everything Olive had been over her 101 years. A young girl growing up in the great depression in Mid Wales, in a world that was often hard and sometimes cruel. A Land Army Girl, stepping into the shoes of the men who left the jobs as they went to war. A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother, good friend and neighbour.
She was forever developing herself and her thirst for knowledge was enormous. “Always learning” she would say – “we are always learning”
Apart from her family her other great passion was sport. She loved watching Football, keeping up to date with all the results, league positions and big money signings right to the end. Rugby, Snooker, Tennis, Wrestling all played a major part in her life and that of us all when we called to see her. But woe betide anyone who dared come through the door or ring the bell at 4.45 on a Saturday afternoon when Olive was glued to the footie results as she checked the pools for that longed for big win. It never came – her life was in other ways rich enough, and one that was well lived.
We said our final goodbye on Monday 24th January. Olive entered the chapel at the local “crem” to the theme tune of World of Sport and we were all immediately transported to Saturday afternoon at Nana’s. We left to Louie Armstrong singing What a Wonderful World. We all need to be reminded that it is a wonderful world. There are trees of green and red roses too. Skies of blue, clouds of white and all the colours of the rainbow.
Whatever you have resolved to do or achieve in 2022, just remember – be a bit more Olive.
Goodnight, God Bless x
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!