A Small World

Hi there,

First a really big Thank You, I had a really tremendous response from 'my letter to Shane' (my last post) I really didn't expect it and have passed on all the kind messages, through Facebook, g mail and private messaging, to Shane himself, some from people who don't even know him, so thank you again from the bottom of my heart. He is and will always be an inspirational figure to all who know him. We had coffee again today, he's still at work and still laughing!

The title of this post is, 'A Small World' mainly because I just happened to see the world wide statistics for my blog today and was amazed at the countries where people actually read my ramblings. I must own I didn't know how to do it until my beautiful blogging niece, Sylvia, (who just happens to be the new costume designer for 'The Nightmare Realm', in Cork, Ireland, no excuses for name dropping here) showed me how to check.

                               Sylvie is a clever girl, very 'arty crafty'

This is us, earlier this year though strangely I don't remember her growing to be soooo tall, bless, she is even bending down somewhat!

Anyhoo...

Back to the 'Small World' thing. I ramble on about stuff that I feel is important, to me anyway, or on my mind  at the time and people across the world read it! I was astonished when I read the countries list...

United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Germany, Bahrain, Canada, Poland, China and Croatia.

He has the whole world in His hands

So another big thank you to everyone who reads my 'stuff'. I don't claim it to be clever, inspirational or worldly but it is how I see things. From how my garden is doing, loath the slugs, through how much I am loving the characters in my book, The Tessellation Saga, Prophecy's Heir, as I read and re-read to get the editing right, to world wide news events like the terrible murder of Lee Rigby, the Drummer mown down and hacked to pieces in front of his barracks. I cried when I watched the TV footage.

Not every Muslim is a terrorist or a fanatic, I work at London Heathrow and many of the folk I work with are Muslim.  All the people I know are kind, generous, open and friendly, respecting my beliefs as I do theirs.

The world is a small place people, why can we not live in it together as one, we are all human after all, we are all one.

Thanks again for reading...

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee til next time,

P.S.

England football team are playing the Republic of Ireland tonight, personally, I don't mind who wins... I have family in both countries.

A Letter for Shane, my Friend.

Hello there,

A friend of mine has Cancer with a capital C, he was diagnosed  last year and after a rigorous course of chemotherapy his entire stomach was removed and a new one built.  (Which in itself is amazing!)  After tests he was told everything was OK, his cancer was gone.  Now, less than six months later its back.  He knows he has only months to live and whilst myself and his other friends feel helpless and scared for him and angry at the wrongness of such a charming, kind and funny man having this thrust upon both he and his lovely family, he himself, is still coming into work, living each day to the full and promising himself a 'wing walking' experience next month when he goes on a final holiday with his beautiful wife!

Typical Shane!

Last week we had coffee together, "I'm sorry Dede," he said, "but I may not get to finish your book and I want to know how it ends, I'm enjoying it so far, you write well!"  I nearly burst into tears right in front of him, his bravery and stoicism in the face of his prognosis, humble me.  He is loved by not just his family but also by his many friends, all of whom look up to him with both admiration and respect, this clever, knowledgeable man whose humour is renowned, trained not only me but I imagine a quarter of the officers at London Heathrow.

Shane, my prayer for you is that a miracle will happen, that your months will become years and you get to spend more time with your lovely family, doing exactly the things you want to do.  Maybe even taking Jayne on the back of your Harley Davidson roaring along the entire length of Route 66!  

I want you to know you put me to shame my friend, I am ashamed for worrying about the stupid stuff, you know what I mean, family, relationships and things like my smile, I don't smile as often as I could because I don't particularly like my vampire teeth.  I don't like the wrinkles that mean I'm getting older, I complain about my 'baby belly' the stretched skin most mums have around their middle that's hard to lose and I moan because I'm 'vertically challenged' as you say, 5'2", well 5'1 and a bit!  And although I love my job I'd rather win the lottery and stay home to write full time...

Today though and because of you I will smile, I promise from today and everyday forward I will count my blessings, today I will give grateful thanks to 'whomever' is out there that you are still my friend, that I am alive and that I can feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face, even if it has to travel further to reach me. 

You trained me way back then Shane, you are training me still... 

Always,

Dede X