 |
| RIP |
I am dedicating this week's blog to the memory of my cousin, Sue, who died last month. She would have been 77 in September. Certainly she knew how to live life to the full and travelled extensively aboard. As a single female, she went on trips on her own when the idea of solo travel was daunting for most. Over the years, she travelled the world - Russia, Antartica, Egypt, Galapogos, the USA, to name a few. She even visited Graceland (she was a big Elvis fan). It was probably easier to name the countries she hadn't visited than to name the ones she had been to.
My cousin has a room full of photos and slides taken on these trips. I haven't even scratched the surface. Her travels certainly beat mine hands down! In her eulogy, I said that she had a love of life. Her hobbies were numerous and that we share! She adored animals and birds too, supported many charities, and she always had rescue dogs. Sue bought her little dogs with her when she visited (which scared the hell out of our guinea pigs!).
Living in the Midlands, I didn't see as much of my cousin as I would have liked, but she was fun, kind, interesting and certainly knew her own mind.
As my cousin became older, she had to give up travelling abroad, and spent many holidays in Somerset with her dog. It was sad to see my lively cousin gradually lose her independence. One time when she was in hospital, her little dog died. She never really got over that. Towards the end of her life, my cousin lived permanently in a care home as she could no longer manage living alone. Her awareness of the day or month, or the current world had gone, but she could talk for ages about her past, especially her travels.
I'll never reach my cousin's heights for travel, but her life is an inspiration. Perhaps what we share is a family trait, this need to explore life and to make the most of each day. My cousin was braver than me, for sure. Her ability to 'just do it', is something I should try and live by. If there is a heaven, then she will be exploring every nook and cranny. Maybe she will even get to meet Elvis!
Comments
Post a Comment