When I was a 12-year-old attending an all-girls convent school (!), I would update my school diary on a weekly basis with my top 5 names for boys and girls. Maternal thoughts back then were clearly already being drummed into us!
The seven year itch
family
Happy New Year… to me!
I can’t quite believe that it’s been one whole year since my life was turned around, spun on its head, righted, brought back from the brink of whatever. And what a year of discovery it’s been! Continue reading
What children don’t say
I’ve been unwell with a raging cold/flu for the past week. Nonexistent nose, compressed chest, wracking coughs, and an abdomen that felt like a truck had run over it due to the afore-mentioned cough. So as you can imagine, the prospect of attending my kid’s open day at school was daunting, to say the least.
So, who do you love the most?
Today I came across a meme on social media that, for once, made me think long and hard. Here it is:
List of firsts
Today, as I was listening to Italian radio (something I love to do to escape the anglicised world we live in), the programme hosts were commenting on a survey that was recently carried out to see what ‘firsts’ people most remembered.
Of course, there were the standard ones, such as the first time we fall in love, the first kiss, the first time we have sex. Continue reading
Absent and present fathers
Today being Father’s Day, my thoughts were flooded by what being a father truly means – to the fathers themselves, to their children, to their wives. And even more so, this was brought home most clearly as the difference between absent and present fathers is something I live on a daily basis.
Ode to my son
Yesterday, in preparation for my hospital admission later today, I sat down to conclude the hardest task I’ve ever had to do in my life. I finished writing letters to my three year old son, letters that will be given to him hopefully by me when the right occasion presents itself, but that are there in the case of any eventuality. Continue reading
Getting my life back
Here it is – D-Day has truly arrived. In less than 9 hours I’ll be checking in to hospital starting the journey that will, eventually, separate my colon from me for good.
She
It’s been a while since I’ve blogged here, mostly due to my condition which has left me with very little energy and time to do anything much. More on that later.
But today, today I couldn’t let the day pass by without posting this. Today would have been the 75th birthday of a very, very special woman who entered my life rather late (I was 31 when I met her) but who firmly became one of my most ardent supporters, always there, with a quiet presence, but a rock solid one, firm in her convictions, but without judgement, willing to do whatever it took to be the very best person she could be. Continue reading
What does it take to make this world a better place?
WARNING: Graphic image follows
Today my thoughts found themselves focused on women, on what it means to be a woman, on how women live, on the challenges we face which can be the same or different to those faced by men. And on how every little step we (both men and women) make and take can be a move toward a better world. Continue reading
whatever Mia thinks 