Last week our family lost a beautiful soul...

If you have a family, extended or otherwise, and the majority of them are younger than you…then sooner or later, they’ll outlive you.

That’s how it’s supposed to go.

That’s how nature works.

Or should.

But sometimes, nature does things out of order.

Sometimes it jumps the queue.

And things that should take the slowest journey out of life, take the fastest one instead.

Leaving the rest of us wondering why we were the ones who got left behind.

Last week, our family lost a beautiful soul.

Her name was Pauline Wallace.

She was my niece.

She was only fifty-five.

She was taken the wrong way around,

Before her mother, her uncles, her aunts, and some of her best friends. Instead of after.

Her father passed before she did.

But only just.

She had so much right with her personality.

And so much wrong with her health.

And she lived her life with a smile in her eyes, which shoved the pain where only a few could see it,

Somewhere the sun didn’t shine.

We’ll all miss her, like one of our breaths was ripped away from our lungs every day.

But we know that she’ll always be there. Just out of sight. Just out of reach.

And every now and then…we’ll hear a laugh that sounds suspiciously familiar.

Accompanied by the faint whiff of her favourite beverage,

And the distinct feeling of being well-and-truly loved.

Rest In Peace, lass.

Pain’s done a runner.

See you on the flip side…

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You've just read an extract from my unfinished book of urban essays Ad Astra.

All my published books are available separately from those nice people at Amazon…right here.

(Urban Essays):

Ad Interruptus: https://amzn.to/3AmkfjQ

Ad Infinitum: https://amzn.to/3pof7Uq

Ad Lib: https://amzn.to/2kd4LKf .

Ad Hoc: https://amzn.to/2Nx8GL8

(Urban Romance)

Love & Coffee: https://amzn.to/28IWaHq

(Humorous Science Fantasy)

Heaven Help Us: https://amzn.to/2nkQ1Jk

Or…you can pop along to my new website at brycemain.co.uk and have a sneaky peek at them all together in the one place.

And choose one for 2023...