Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?
It seems a long time ago,far away in a distant past.I really can’t remember the detail.It was a Christmas visit up to Scotland, which we refuse to do now,because it is a bad time of year to travel and it’s a long arduous journey.Anyway aren’t we supposed to be saving the planet?
Whatever,but in that distant past, it was taken for granted by my late mum that the visit would be made.
One year ,my brother suggested I came to him and his wife for Christmas ,I can’t remember why. I would have liked to,but my mum said absolutely not,that what was I trying to do,shame her? Jeez mum,no,it really was that Christmas wasn’t much fun in your house, and it would have been nice to share time with my brother.Oh well.
My mum used to live on the coast, and unexpectedly ,on one visit , a tonne of snow fell on us over the week or so we were there
. That much snow in a coastal town was totally unexpected.It was unfortunate that the next day we were journeying back,in what would be pretty hazardous road conditions. My mum worried terribly about that.
I suppose the visits up there were always a bit tense. My partner, in crime, and I would go out for long walks and drives if the atmosphere got a bit tense.
One instance, though ,which washes away all the pain I felt during those Christmas holiday visits, sticks in my mind. We, for some reason, were giving each other our presents at the dining table,my sister’s idea ,I think.
I opened my present from my partner, it was a proper “Painting Set” with an inbuilt easel,oils,pastels and watercolours.It was absolutely amazing and so surprising.I burst into tears.
Seeing me cry really took my mum and my sister by suprise.I was so happy,I didn’t even realise my partner knew I liked to paint.
I think we all enjoyed the moment,it brought us all closer together. It broke down barriers that had formed ,and I felt amazingly loved and understood.
Again,I’m a bit hazy on the timeline, (the snow and the painting set may not be linked), but I have a video of the four of us gazing out the bay window of my mum and sisters house looking at the snow falling. My mum’s voice is on it.It’s very peaceful.
The video always makes me think of that moment with the “painting set” and makes me realise they were actually really very good times,and we were fortunate to have them.
thenotsomightyom 