Today’s song is dedicated to my sister-in-law, Denise whose birthday it was two days ago. I am so sorry that these greetings and song are belated, Denise, but too many medical appointments have kept my mind busy this week.
The song is appropriate in more ways than one, as Denise and her husband, my brother Michael, have had one of the highest mountains to climb ever since their son, Carl was paralysed beneath the waist many years ago following a tragic car crash. The three of them live in a specially adapted house in Gomersal where Denise and Michael act as the prime carers to their most independent son.
All of us will encounter struggles and strife at some stage of our lives and none will pass through without encountering obstacles to get around and mountains to climb. For a few, like Denise and Michael, and Carl, however, they will experience and endure much more. They will experience trials sent to torment, or physical pain that points towards the limits of human endurance. For those who are unfortunate enough to have found themselves in Denise and Michael’s position, where the parental reason for the happening and a sense of purpose for the future is hard to see, the situation becomes almost intolerable. There is not a loving parent among us, who, if given the option, would not choose to take the pain of their child unto themselves. Instead, they are left, in mental anguish to carry on with their parental lives the best way they can, often swimming in a whirlpool of tormented thought, adrift in a maelstrom of emotions that are difficult to accurately express, other than to say, ‘Why us? It isn’t bloody fair!”
Denise, please know that all the Forde Family love and admire you and all your family to bits for the ability to have positively got on with your lives. We wish you the happiest of birthdays which hopefully was filled with lots of happy memories, lots of presents… and …lots of cake and ale. Please accept this modest vocal gift in belated celebration of your special day. Love Bill and Sheila x
Love and peace Bill xxx
The song is appropriate in more ways than one, as Denise and her husband, my brother Michael, have had one of the highest mountains to climb ever since their son, Carl was paralysed beneath the waist many years ago following a tragic car crash. The three of them live in a specially adapted house in Gomersal where Denise and Michael act as the prime carers to their most independent son.
All of us will encounter struggles and strife at some stage of our lives and none will pass through without encountering obstacles to get around and mountains to climb. For a few, like Denise and Michael, and Carl, however, they will experience and endure much more. They will experience trials sent to torment, or physical pain that points towards the limits of human endurance. For those who are unfortunate enough to have found themselves in Denise and Michael’s position, where the parental reason for the happening and a sense of purpose for the future is hard to see, the situation becomes almost intolerable. There is not a loving parent among us, who, if given the option, would not choose to take the pain of their child unto themselves. Instead, they are left, in mental anguish to carry on with their parental lives the best way they can, often swimming in a whirlpool of tormented thought, adrift in a maelstrom of emotions that are difficult to accurately express, other than to say, ‘Why us? It isn’t bloody fair!”
Denise, please know that all the Forde Family love and admire you and all your family to bits for the ability to have positively got on with your lives. We wish you the happiest of birthdays which hopefully was filled with lots of happy memories, lots of presents… and …lots of cake and ale. Please accept this modest vocal gift in belated celebration of your special day. Love Bill and Sheila x
Love and peace Bill xxx
