Funeral words Part III

[stephbg]

Written by David Michael Graham in December 2007 following his diagnosis of a brain tumour, and spoken at his funeral by sister Stephanie (18/10/2008)




Raw thoughts - Dec 2007

I can clearly say that my first thoughts as to my last days are that I have no regrets or what-ifs. I am and have been happy with who I am, with nothing to prove to myself or any one else. I have achieved many personal goals. I have had an extraordinary fortunate if unspectacular life.

I have a wonderful, pleasing , eccentric and loving family – brothers-in-law, sisters, nieces and Mother and Father.

My Parents not unnaturally have been very very anxious about recent events and have from time to time been overly helpful - :-) - which has led to some “intense discussions”, but this is also as much MY fault, as I am still determining how dependent I am on other people and things. It is the loss of independence and health I still have to mentally and practically come to grips with. Time will tell, but it will not be a problem… it all simply needs to be accepted.

I have been blessed over and over by many friends, though admittedly I have always been a private and reasonably quiet person as bookworms tend to be.

My work career—although never particularly earth shattering—has been interesting. My recent career with Indigenous Land and Heritage has been a personal triumph in my own small way, and is something I am very proud of. It is a very complex field but I have found honour and profound humility and pride working with the Kimberley peoples at all levels in achieving even small advances in getting some things sorted.

I am also proud of my service with the ADF. Even though it was many years ago, it taught me a great deal about my strengths and weaknesses, and also produced the strongest friendships a man could know, with the exception of wife or partner.

I have also been blessed over and over and much more than I deserve in the love given to me over the years by special partners… that sustained me, taught me and nurtured me, and which, if I do have any guilt at all, is something I never really adequately reciprocated.

Though I write this before I have passed, I know the levels of love and attention that have been given to me by all. I mean especially My Family for whom this is hard, especially Father and Mother, to my closest and dearest friends and neighbours, the people at the local shop that make me smile and laugh, to the medical profession in a hopeless case and to all other carers.

I just hope I didn’t cause too much distress and if so, please forgive my sins and foibles.

And now I must move on another journey… On my coffee table at home is a book of maps… of stars and galaxies and other wonders called the Universe, and that’s where I am going to start.

I will be thinking of you all and am forever grateful.

David

Comments

[transcendancing.livejournal.com]

That is incredible Steph - oh it's beautiful. *is moved*

[huckle.livejournal.com]

People who work in palliative care say that a good life makes a good death, and that is what your brother had. Giving and receiving love, that was all that matters in the end.

[leecetheartist.livejournal.com]

First star on the left...