Love this piece of writing T. You touched on so many aspects of life & living..as well as the up’s and downs...and of course how while looking at our life, there are many ways to see things. Love that your wheel is back on track 🥳 also sending loads of love to you & I promise everything will be ok in the end xx always here for you, night, noon or morning. You are stuck with me forever now x love you lots xx
Sep 11, 2022·edited Sep 11, 2022Liked by Tracy O’Brien
What has the past given me? Well, almost 20 years ago, on 11th February 2003 at the age of 50, I had a major stroke. Not only did it leave me with mobility and dexterity problems, but it forced me to give up my career and retire from my beloved job.
Bad? Well, no, not entirely. It put me in touch with my best friend from childhood. I'd lost touch with Karen when she and her husband emigrated to Australia in 1974 when we were 22. We were both moving around, and we had lost each others' addresses. Not a week went by but I thought of her with regret at not being able to reach her.
In 2004 after my retirement [at 51!] I was trying to keep my brain active and had signed up on Friends Reunited. It was through that excellent platform that I had a message from Karen's brother, Allan, asking if I was the Anne B that had lived in our street in Paisley [they lived two doors away]. It was on a Wednesday and I replied immediately in the affirmative. Allan put me in touch with Karen by email. The following Friday, we met in Perth Airport, Western Australia. I in a wheelchair, she making a bee-line for me when she spotted me. A great, big bear-hug later and we were reunited!
I've visited them many times since then, and Karen has visited me. We've told each other our lives and I've got to know her husband, Jim, who is now a firm friend.
So, you see, I lost my childhood friend from the past and I dearly wanted to regain our friendship as I grew up and matured. The silver lining in the stroke is that I rediscovered her and my legacy will be the love that I have for her and her daughter, who has been the unexpected bonus - the daughter I never had. I hope my legacy will be that Jess, Karen's daughter, will have been as inspired in her life by me, as she tells me she has.
The Force will be with you...always🌱🙏. Also, as if on cue, my Spotify Megamix has offered up There Goes The Gear by Doves🎶. Synchronicity, as Jung would say.
Love this piece of writing T. You touched on so many aspects of life & living..as well as the up’s and downs...and of course how while looking at our life, there are many ways to see things. Love that your wheel is back on track 🥳 also sending loads of love to you & I promise everything will be ok in the end xx always here for you, night, noon or morning. You are stuck with me forever now x love you lots xx
Tracey, Thinking of you and all in the U.K. 👑 ❤️
What has the past given me? Well, almost 20 years ago, on 11th February 2003 at the age of 50, I had a major stroke. Not only did it leave me with mobility and dexterity problems, but it forced me to give up my career and retire from my beloved job.
Bad? Well, no, not entirely. It put me in touch with my best friend from childhood. I'd lost touch with Karen when she and her husband emigrated to Australia in 1974 when we were 22. We were both moving around, and we had lost each others' addresses. Not a week went by but I thought of her with regret at not being able to reach her.
In 2004 after my retirement [at 51!] I was trying to keep my brain active and had signed up on Friends Reunited. It was through that excellent platform that I had a message from Karen's brother, Allan, asking if I was the Anne B that had lived in our street in Paisley [they lived two doors away]. It was on a Wednesday and I replied immediately in the affirmative. Allan put me in touch with Karen by email. The following Friday, we met in Perth Airport, Western Australia. I in a wheelchair, she making a bee-line for me when she spotted me. A great, big bear-hug later and we were reunited!
I've visited them many times since then, and Karen has visited me. We've told each other our lives and I've got to know her husband, Jim, who is now a firm friend.
So, you see, I lost my childhood friend from the past and I dearly wanted to regain our friendship as I grew up and matured. The silver lining in the stroke is that I rediscovered her and my legacy will be the love that I have for her and her daughter, who has been the unexpected bonus - the daughter I never had. I hope my legacy will be that Jess, Karen's daughter, will have been as inspired in her life by me, as she tells me she has.
Tracy, you're in my prayers. ❤️
The Force will be with you...always🌱🙏. Also, as if on cue, my Spotify Megamix has offered up There Goes The Gear by Doves🎶. Synchronicity, as Jung would say.