Farewell

This will be the final entry in Anne's blog.  In her first entry, Anne wrote "so the journey begins."  Over the past 4 years Anne gave us the privilege of sharing her journey.  Now her journey is at an end.

In her first blog entry, Anne quoted the prophet Isaiah:

 "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
 They will soar on wings like eagles"

She is now soaring as the eagles, free from the disease which dominated so much of the past few years.

As a family, we were overwhelmed by the number of people who made the journey to attend the service of Thanksgiving at Barkham Church. It was clear to everyone that Anne had touched so many lives, often (or perhaps usually) in a way which went unnoticed to everyone else.

Now we must adjust to life without Anne. What better way to do that than with the words of the poem which Anne sent to her siblings on the first anniversary of the death of their mother:


You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she’s gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.


Paul, Josh, Chloe & Ben.