Words have eluded me since the 12th of April when my lovely big cousin suffered a massive heart attack and tragically died.
He was buried this morning on the island in the north of Scotland which he had made his home with his wife of thirty years and their four children.
What words could I have used to make their pain disappear and this tragedy easier to bear? None. For there are no words. Only a dark, hollow emptiness which may recede with time but which will be there for many, many months and even years to come.
And what of his parents who are living the greatest nightmare of all? Outliving one’s child should never occur. But it does. And how do we survive such heart-breaking trauma?
And his sister and nieces and nephews and friends? How are they coming to terms with such a brutal end to a loved one’s life?
My own heart is chipped. The red paint has come loose from the edges and fluttered to the floor. Our childhoods were linked at the seams and the happy memories of our pasts are now shadowed by my tears.
But up in the north of Scotland there are hearts which are shattered. Broken into a thousand pointed shards, each one piercing deep into the pulsing muscle which keeps us alive.
I can only hope that time will heal those broken hearts and that the memory of this exceptionally kind and gentle man will help them take shape once more and breathe and beat in his honour.
OMG I'm fifty! 
I’m so sorry to hear of your family’s loss.
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Thank you, Becky.
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Very moving words. 😥
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😢😢😢
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Thank you for putting into words my exact same feelings ❤️
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You’re very welcome. It was impossible not to write something. ❤️
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I am so sorry to hear of your family’s tragic loss. You have written beautifully about your grief and theirs.
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Thank you Franck. I appreciate that.
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Beautifully written Juliet, the funeral was terribly sad and like you, I am struggling to come to terms with my wee cousin’s loss. You have just set my tears off again with your beautiful words. Lyndsay xx
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Hi Lindsay. I can only imagine how sad the funeral must have been. Sorry for making you cry again. But thank you for your kind words. X
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