I want to dedicate this post to my friend Tricia, whose blog yesterday had a post dedicated to her late Mum.
I can relate to Tricia's loss, at the age of 11, as my Dad also died when I was barely 15.
I can still remember the feeling of loss and unbelief during the first hours and days of his disappearance...
Walking to secondary school in a March day with sporadic rain and a lot of cold sunshine, and telling myself repeatedly "My Father is dead..."
This feeling of missing someone, this very deep sense of loss, of having half of ourselves that is missing, in Portuguese we have a word for it: SAUDADE.
SAUDADE is a beautiful, musical word that brings us recollections of people and situations forgone and a cosy feeling of familiarity, or else the hard feeling of loss and bereavement.
Looking back to those we love, I think that what we can do is to recall their inner beauty, the loving ties that still shine between them and us and - just like Tricia did, to recall what they loved to do.
Maybe Tricia can one day publish something written by her Mother. Better still, blend in one of her own books, her Mum's words...
Dear Tricia, my heart goes out to you and never forget: Your Mum lives inside your heart and her Love will forever inspire and protect you and your Children.
Love,
Maria Carmo.
Lisbon, 12th. January 2012.
