Compassion, Autumn 2021

Autumn 2021 - Compassion | www.tcf.org.uk 16 “Good Mourning, mum.” Good mourning, son. “You ok?” Meh. “What? Why? What’s up?” Jamie look at the weeks. Just look. “Yes mum. It’s a big number.” 7-years-next-week type of big number James. 7 years! “Oh. Ok. That’s a long time in human terms isn’t it mum?” Yes son. It is. It’s a long, long time. I’m finding it quite difficult to comprehend really but yep. 7 years without a hug or a kiss or anything. And yet I’m looking at people coming out of their brief separations as the world tries to return to ‘normality’ and I want to scream. There is no return for people like us. We can’t just remove our mask and take in a big breath and sigh of relief. There is no vaccine….. “Ok mum. Breathe!!!” I watched a mother in the news hugging her son for the first time in 18 months telling everyone how hard it has been not seeing him for so long and I wanted to scream, ‘Try 7 years sweetheart!! And still counting!!!’ “And did you?” Did I what? “Scream.” Nah. “Why not?” Excellent question son, if I may say so. “Thank you. See? I might have made a good lawyer after all. Now, are we going to get an excellent answer to go with my excellent question?” I don’t know, maybe. “ So?” So, I guess that I just don’t feel the need to scream as often as I used to anymore James. I’m in training. “Training for what?” I might be going on a long journey. “Oh, I love a road trip. Will there be sandwich stops and where are we going?” Peace. “You too mum. But where are we going?” That’s where we’re going son. To Peace. “Ok, I’m lost.” No you’re not. Ok, listen. I’ve been on this Planet Grief for nearly 7 years and I’ve explored lots of it. Lots of different sections and climates and whatnot. It’s exhausting James. But I’ve heard tell that there is a secret lesser known part of this Planet called Peace and I want to see if I can get there. “Yes, I’ve heard about that mum. It’s kind of like the chill out room at the club I worked at. It’s where you go to get away from the noise and the chaos of the rest of the planet.” Week 364