Life Before Death

Nambo's dad died last week after a long struggle with motor neurone disease. Yesterday, we went to the funeral, which was one of those ones which was almost more difficult for its quiet dignity. Strangely, I actually feel more comfortable with open displays of grief than I do with the stiff upper lip attitude. Don't get me wrong, everyone has to deal with these things in their own way, but it was almost eerie in its calm. The only outward sign of what was happening internally being Nambo, holding my hand so tight I thought he might break it, while chatting away as though unconcerned.

Then I got a message from Sweepy this morning to say that her father died on Tuesday.

When did our parents become so mortal? I've realised while thinking about this today that I am one of very few people I know who still have two living parents. It feels so wrong. We're only in our mid twenties, our parents largely in their fifties. How can so many of them be gone already?