Joan James(1929-2019)
I have sad news for you all, I'm afraid: Corinna's Mother, known to everyone whether they were related to her or not, as just "Mother", died peacefully at about 2:30 on the morning of the 27th. It was far from being unexpected, but there is a bloody great mother-shaped hole in my life which will never be filled. There are all sorts of clichés about how men are not supposed to get on with their mothers-in-law, but I adored Mother from the first time we met, and even though her health declined rapidly due to vascular dementia, she and I still enjoyed each other's company up to a few days before the end. It was a privilege to have known her, and because I was estranged from my own Mother when she died, she gave me a second chance to explore feelings that I never thought I would ever get the chance to experience again.
"All is well.
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!
Thank you to all of you who have sent kind words and prayers to us following Mother's death. They are very much appreciated. Please forgive us for keeping a low profile at the moment.