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How Do I Say Goodbye?

ParalyzedSenior Contributor

How Do I Say Goodbye?

Hello and good morning all,

How do you say goodbye to someone who has been with you for your whole life?

How Do I Say Goodbye by Dean Lewis *listening to it as I write this first paragraph*.

Another month has just passed by in the blink of an eye! I can not believe that today marks one year and one month since I had to say goodbye to my mum. A day that will be forever etched in my memory and the worst day of my life. My mum's soul left her body on the 12th day of January 2024 at the age of 61. It would be my younger brother and me who would be the ones to find Mum finally at peace.

No words can ever express how that moment felt.

FYI - my love of music comes from my mum. One of Mum's favourite things to do in life was to drive her car, and for a long time, it was a 1978 Ford Falcon, aka The Tank, windows down because we weren't lucky enough to have air-con, power steering, what's that? Haha, music playing nice and loud, cassette tape, of course, and just drive.

Mum and I had pretty different tastes when it came to music as I grew older, but we still always found songs to which we would sing our hearts out. Mum was an AC/DC fan and liked more upbeat music, and she was always like, why do you always listen to Celine Dion? Her music is so sad, and we'd look at each other and chuckle. One of Mum's favourite songs, and she'd always ask me to play as soon as she was in my car, was You're the Voice by Mitch Tambo. I shared this song with Mum in maybe 2023, and she fell in love with it. Well, it is a brilliant song!

Ooh...why can't you stay forever? (lyrics from Just Another Day by Jon Secada) This song may seem a little off-centre to be referring to the loss of my mum, but it was a song that Mum and I listened to back in the day, and some of the lyrics hit home for me. After we laid Mum to rest, I repeatedly listened to this song, sometimes in the car, often alone in my bedroom with my headphones on, max volume and asking why can't you stay forever?!

To Mum, I love and miss you every second of every day. 'Gone but not forgotten, may peace be yours forever.'

Thank you for letting me share and your support; I will leave it there for now.

Kindness, first and foremost.

P

12 replies

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In response to: How Do I Say Goodbye?

ParalyzedSenior Contributor

Re: How Do I Say Goodbye?

Hi @Eve7

Thank you for your message, and I am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you, please reach out at any time and we can definitely be a support for each other.

My thoughts are with you 🤗

In response to: Re: How Do I Say Goodbye?

AppleblossomSenior Contributor

Re: How Do I Say Goodbye?

Grief journeys are unique and personal….
@Paralyzed I really appreciate the quality of your sharing

I have had to deal with a lot of grief… done a lot of research and found my own way… some call it griefwork. Seems it is a kind of cyclical letting go and reimagining, through out our lives.

I also value music and silence as helpful…. and being active… and visuals….

@Spike2503 @Qlderpat @tyme @Eve7

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