Community & Connection

Hello everyone. I lost my wife of 33 years, Mandie, on 24th October 2023. To be honest, it did not come as a surprise; she was a Type-1 Diabetic and after 47 years, it finally caught up with her. She died, at home, in her sleep. I found her body, the next morning, still tucked in as I'd left her. That morning, our little cul-de-sac was full of vehicles including Police Cars, Paramedic Response vehicles, a 'Private' Ambulance and finally an Ambulance which was stood down on arrival. Obviously, the Coroner was involved and the following month was a blur of activity. The worst part of bereavement is that people , particularly 'friends' don't know how to react, so, afraid of saying 'The 'wrong' thing, say nothing at all. It's funny how people react isn't it? One of the kindest actions was from my neighbours, a young Iraqi family, whom we barely knew, who arranged a pizza delivery for my son and me, in accordance with Islamic tradition. On the other hand, even though Mandie had been a regular attendee at Holy Trinity church, Dartford, and one of the leading lights of the choir, I have yet to hear from the Vicar... So, anyway, here I am, more than two years on, wondering 'Where next'? Perhaps the Collective will provide a clue