“Did it happen? Was it my imagination?”

Yesterday, I went to visit my nan so that I could pick something up. We sat down and we had a little catch up whilst my son raided the freezer for a Feast ice-cream. She asked me if my mum had told me about what happened this week and when I replied that she hadn’t, she surprised me with her news. Listening to her speak slowly, pacing herself through the story of my Grandad who had passed away thirteen and a half years ago, I suddenly felt my throat tighten and my eyes water. I could hear the emotion in her voice and a sense of calm, pride, protectiveness and love flowed through my bones for her. The facade of age hides many things but I adore how love transcends it all.

“Three nights ago, I don’t know whether it was a dream or my imagination but in the middle of the night, I woke up and I felt a pair of arms around me. I felt all lovely and warm, I knew I had a pair of arms around me. As clear as you are here, sat next to me. He wrapped his arms around me and he whispered in my ear, “I love you, Eileen.” Then I woke up and that was it. I felt lovely and warm. He always said that if he went before me, then he would try his best to come back to me.  And he did.

  In the humdrum of the everyday – even as a woman in love, a photographer of couples – there is nothing like seeing how a partner, husband & love can keep you ‘lovely and warm’ in the middle of the night when you are 81 years old. G X