Inside He Danced
Posted in Blog by: LottieCome away, human child, to the water
and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.
- William Butler Yeats, 1886
We were born on the same day, in the same ward, to two very different futures. While my mother was overjoyed, his was greeted with the news that her son would not see his first birthday.
He defied all the odds and every year was to be his last. Each year when our birthday would arrive, his mother would give me a card with tears in her eyes. She never hugged me, or even touched me that I can remember and I don’t think our eyes ever met for more than the briefest of moments.
Sometimes when I entered their shop I could feel her sadness follow me as she might watch me run around collecting groceries, laughing with my friends and she would comment to me how well I looked in my Irish Dancing costume. Her son never danced.
As children we would sometimes meet in the street, never really knowing each other but apprecaiting that we had a type of bond. I remember that he was always so very bright and full of life. Always friendly and kind and good spirited.
Colin died yesterday, 8239 days old. And he lived every minute of it.
Rest in peace.
September 16th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Both dark and beautiful. I feel I should offer condolences of some sort, but I’m not sure it’s appropriate.
September 16th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Oh Lottie, that is so sad, but beautiful all the same. RIP Colin.
September 16th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Extremely well written Lottie, a lovely tribute. Makes you even gladder for the life you have. May he rest in peace.
September 16th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
That’s so sad, Lottie. Nothing to feel guilty about though. I’m glad you’re here.
September 16th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
That’s a really moving tribute to him, Lottie.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I echo Darragh, that is an amazing tribute.
My cousin was like a brother to me and was 3months older than me, he died when we were 23 and since then I have never been able to celebrate anything fully around his mother.
I keep getting this feeling that she’s thinking, he should be doing that not you.
I’m sure she’s not really, and if she is, I understand why, he lived every moment and if he was alive no doubt he’d be off doing something amazing, that was his type.
He fit 80 into those 23 short years.
Your entry is a tribute to many who lived fully and more than their years allowed.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:52 am
thoughts n that…….big hugs n gentle punches on the shoulder too….
September 17th, 2008 at 2:06 am
23? shit.
September 17th, 2008 at 7:09 am
@Jo – no guilt. Just a tribute.
@elfinamsterdam – that’s so sad. My sympathies.
@Manuel – Uncomfortbale punch right back at ya.
September 17th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Beautiful tribute Lottie. Thanks for sharing it. Nice Yeats intro too. There’s an Ocean Colour Scene song called One For The Road that deals with a similar theme, it’s a really lovely, life affirming song.
September 18th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Shite, I hate welling up in the office.
September 30th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
christ that’s a great post… brief too… depressing too.
sorry for the delayed comment btw