This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
As we all hurtle towards Christmas day and families are returning home to their loved ones please spare a thought for those whose lives are not going according to plan. It was brought home to me last week when, following my Yoga class with some girlfriends, one of them got THE phone call – you know, the one we all dread. Her daughter had collapsed and was in an ambulance on her way to hospital with a brain bleed. She was having seizures and she ended up in a coma. Life can change in an instant.
It is inevitable. At some point we have all faced, or will face, a life-altering event . . . whether it be the death of a loved one, a serious illness or some experience that reminds us of what really matters in life. In the blink of an eye, everything can change. Often, these life experiences can teach us valuable lessons, help us discover inner strength, and help us realise what is truly important.
My friend and her husband had just been talking about how they were looking forward to the festive holidays. It was going to be extra special this year as my girlfriend is celebrating her 70th birthday just a few days before Christmas. She had so much planned and her daughter, to whom I had spoken to only a few days prior to this, was also so looking forward to making a big fuss of her mother.
My friend is an incredible mother and grandmother, always dropping everything to support her family. She inspires all of her friends with her energy and her dedication to her family. To be honest she is just the same for her friends. However in a split second her life changed in an immeasurable way. To see your child suffering and to watch your grandchildren try to cope with their mother being so sick must be so difficult to cope with.
My girlfriend is coping and will continue to cope with no words of complaint. Her daughter is recovering slowly but now faces a complicated brain op in the New Year as the diagnosis is that she has an AVM on her left frontal lobe. Her mother will be with her every step of this new path that life has taken her. Like all of us mothers she will fight to make sure that her daughter gets the best advice and treatment and that everything is done to aid her so that she can make a full and speedy recovery.
I know everyone is always saying this life is not a dress rehearsal and to enjoy every day and appreciate your health if it is good. So many people are suffering right now in numerous ways. At this time of year bad health and loneliness can be more intense as you imagine everyone else having a great time.
There are a few of my friends for whom Christmas will not be that magical time that we are programmed to have. I am so aware of those that are in a less than happy place.
Grace has been volunteering in a charity café and will be telling all in a New Year post. I decided that, instead of posting a Christmas card to my elderly and possibly lonely neighbours and friends, I would actually take the time to have them in for a drink and a mince pie. Every little helps.
In the meantime have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. See you in 2020.
Annabel