Sleep

Someone I do not know and it is unlikely I will ever meet lost his baby this week. He and his wife are young, it was their first and the cord got knotted. It reminded me of two things which I wanted to share in this moment, a moment which is brief and I am going to watch Phoenix sleep. A time when he is truly at peace.


For Joseph

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 ripened grain;
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awake in morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there...


The second thing I wanted to share is taken from one of the most powerful and moving stories I have read, the story of Treya Wilber. Ravaged with cancer, her spirit was soaring and as strong as ever, even stronger, "Because I can no longer ignore death, I pay more attention to life".

Is it time that we all paid more attention to life? If we knew that today was our last day would we really want to spend that extra hour on Facebook or watch the Eastenders omnibus that one last time.

If it was your last day, what would you do? And what is stopping you from doing it every day?