Friday, February 01, 2008

Nellie


Most of the time when I write this blog, I'm concious of making it positive and upbeat. Obviously like every other human being in this world there are things that happen that are not so good.
One of those happened on the 22nd of January. I was glad we were here in Australia for this one. My darling friend Nellie died at the tender age of 46. She was sick with uterine cancer 4 years ago....they thought they got it all but they didn't.
As her lovely friend Roxanne says "She was one fucking amazing human being".
Here's what I read out at her funeral yesterday...
"I just want to speak to you very briefly about Nellie.
I’ve known her for more than 10 years, 5 of which I have lived away from her in the UK. So it’s only a small pocket of Nellie’s existence that I can bring to you.
What I can bring today is something that you’re all probably aware of without me articulating. It’s the thing about Nellie that made her stand out and that thing was Love. Nellie was the most loving person I have ever met, she was filled to overflowing with it.
She helped me through hard times on so many occasions so selflessly and as I speak to her friends they all seem to say the same thing. She was always there for you. I feel so sad that I couldn’t have been there for her more, especially at the end. She’s been taken from us far too soon.
I looked through my photos last night to bring some with me today but realized I have very few of Nellie…… She hated being photographed but she loved to take photos and was brilliant at it with a rare patience & creativity.
I’ve made a list of the things that spring to mind about Nellie…. She was empathetic, compassionate, generous, creative, inventive, articulate, funny, passionate, positive, encouraging, hard working, fearless, bold, strong, nurturing, vulnerable and very sexy and I will miss her greatly but she is still there for all of us in our hearts.

A Hopi prayer : Ashes to Ashes

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there,
I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight
On the ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush,
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there,
I did not die.
My spirit is still alive
Meteor Blades

So let’s bow our heads and be grateful for Nellie’s existence in our lives and the joy she brought us."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

*giant hug*

Nellie sounds like an amazing person. You are lucky to count her as a friend.

JoeyJoJo said...

Thank you my lovely buddy. It helps. She was.