I’ve been feeling pretty down the last few days, despite the sun, Mother’s Day, and a fantastic weekend with my very good friend in London. And I know exactly why.
Jade Goody’s terrible illness, and passing away, and the absolutely tragic news of Natasha Richardson’s sudden death has given us all a huge shock. But it’s much more than that. As mums, we can’t help but think of the children left behind without a mother. That is what has broken my heart over the last few days.
I’ve struggled to get to sleep, and the images of Jade Goody with her young boys have haunted me constantly. I obviously don’t know any of the families involved, but it has made think about death and my own family – and I am trying to get more perspective and work out how to deal with it. As, I am sure, many of us are – as we did when Madeleine McCann disappeared. Because these stories hugely affect us all.
So, in the spirit of what this blog is all about – I am going to try to end this with something positive to focus on.
What can we all do in the light of these tragic stories in order to cope with our own emotions? We can live our own lives to the full. We can look after ourselves and our families as best we can – without becoming paranoid and over-controlling. We can remember that these things happen relatively rarely. We can give money or volunteer with charities, or support those we know who are ill or in trouble.
We can make sure those around us know how much we love them, and allow them to show, and gratefully receive, their love back.