"Today is Mother's Day, and Sheila and I remember fondly the mothers we lost, Maureen Forde and Elizabeth Williams. Although brought up at opposite sides of the world, and although their material experiences were vastly different (Mother Elizabeth being a barrister and mum to two children, and Mother Maureen being a mother of seven and a part-time waitress), in most other character respects our two mums were very similar.
Each of our mothers loved music and song and both were religious and generous to a fault. Each woman wore a smile across their face from dawn until dusk, and which lasted from cradle to grave, and neither ever had a bad word to say about any other person. Mother Forde was always dreaming about 'far away places,' and being Irish, she always dreamt of the land of her birth. Indeed, her favourite song was 'Faraway Places' sung by her favourite singer, Vera Lynn; the Forces Sweetheart.
Mother Elizabeth loved visiting the Holy Land in her earlier years and particularly seeing the 'Sea of Galilee'. Mother Elizabeth's dream was visiting the 'Sea of Galilee' again. In her last five years of life, her eyesight started to fail until the time came when it went completely, and apart from seeing vague outlines, she was effectively blind. Although she could have had her eyesight corrected by having her cataracts removed, she refused. I think she wanted her world to look in her eyes as it had always looked. On a summer's day, Mother Elizabeth, Sheila and I, and our dog Lady would go for a walk along the top of Cemetery Road in Haworth. We would walk about half a mile and finish up looking down at 'Sladen Reservoir' in the distance. She would call the reservoir the 'Sea of Galilee'. Like the Prophet Mohammed, when He could not go to the mountain, he is said to have brought the mountain to him. Likewise, Mother Elizabeth obviously took a sheet out of the Prophet Mohammed's book by bringing the 'Sea of Galilee' to herself when she no longer possessed the physical means to visit it herself!
A happy Mother's Day from your children Billy and Sheila, Mother Forde and Mother Williams. We are sure that you each have reserved your favourite spot in heaven, and as you never met each other when you were alive, why not look each other up now, as Sheila and I just know that you'll get on like a house on fire. We have included Mum Forde's favourite song that will enable you both to look down on us today. xxxxxx" Love from your children, Billy, Mary, Eileen, Patrick, Peter, Michael , Susan; and Sheila and Winston: March 11th, 2018.
https://youtu.be/Y5RhWVlXF0Q