Tuesday 30 April 2019

Sisters are wonderful...even when hitting you with truth bombs!

Sisters are wonderful aren't they?

My sister is wonderful. Her name is Susan Gill. She passed away unexpectedly, but at the end peacefully, yesterday morning surrounded by all of us who loved her deeply. We are heartbroken.

Sisters are wonderful. They tell you the truth in a way that no-one else in your life can. And Sue was a wonderful Teller of The Truth. Truth bombs wrapped in love and delivered loudly with joy.

I would walk in and say "Hello, Sue."

"Hello, Fatty" she might say, loud enough to ensure that everyone in a fifty mile radius could hear,  "Look at that Fat Belly! Are you still on that ridiculous diet? No bread but chips are okay? It's daft. I've never heard of anything so stupid. You're getting fatter and fatter. Anyway, how are you? You look tired. You look exhausted. You have bags under your eyes. You are working too hard. And you're going bald. HAHAHAHA. Stop working so hard, you idiot.  Look after yourself, foolish boy."

And that was just for starters!!!

Everyone else in your life will dress up their words and position carefully. But a true sister will give it to you straight. From her heart direct to yours. That partner? They are no good for you! That shirt? It makes you look like a clown! That job? They are taking advantage of you! It is so refreshing and you know that it is delivered with love, because sisters protect you. They love you and they won't let anyone hurt you. They won't let you hurt yourself and they definitely won't let you fool yourself. Woe betide you if you start to get big-headed!!! You may think you are a big shot out there, but in here you are just a silly little brother and she's seen you sitting in your pants, crying with snot coming down your nose, so just sit down, shut up and listen.

And Sue was a true sister who loved us and loved life.

Sue loved life and loved the world. We all grew up together in Sunbury and Richmond, and in Kampala, Uganda. She loved observing everything going on around her and was a fount of surprising knowledge from all over the world. A few years ago we went on a lovely and memorably holiday to Jamaica. I can see Sue now, relaxing on a raft, drifting slowly and lazily down the Martha Brae river, one hand in the gently flowing water, the other holding a freshly cut coconut, loving the sunshine, loving life...

But the real love of Sue's life was her late husband, Roger. They met over forty years ago and were inseparably from then on, until his untimely death thirteen years ago. Their devoted sons, mirror images of their Dad, supported Sue every day and she loved them deeply but she missed Roger so, so much. Roger died on the morning of 29th April, 2006. On the morning of 29th April, 2019, Sue left us to be reunited with him.

We hurt beyond words. But they are together again, just as they should be.



Goodnight, Sue. Thank you for the love and the truth.

1 comment:

Abby said...

Hmmm.........not sure if "sorry" is enough.