Courage beyond limits
UHURU
Steve Powell
Sat 4 Jun 2011 10:37
09:22.80W
This morning I woke up for my 6am watch to the most perfect day. The winds were from the north, 16-18kts, the seas were moderate and the sun was shining, and the good ship UHURU was sailing directly for home.
On checking my email I had received one of my regular blogs from one of mine, and Bean’s, oldest and dearest friends, she introduced us. For the purposes of this blog we will call her ‘Ethel’. She has been fighting a very aggressive form of cancer for three years now, and blogging on a regular basis. When I left on this little odyssey she had been given just six months to live, and since then has fought with incredible courage through many treatments and operations, the latest just a few weeks ago. All the time she has entertained us with her humour and resilience through the dark times and opened our eyes to the beauty of life through her love of nature and the simple things.
This morning’s blog started with the words “Dearest Friends, This will be the last blog that I send to you”.
After recovering from the shock of the simplicity and honesty of this statement, it naturally got me to thinking. Firstly about all the amazing times we have shared over the years, she was the first Magazine Editor to give me ‘a break’ as a young photographer, and mentored me for many years. But then about this strange form of communication called a ‘blog’. The fact that all of us, friends and family alike, and possibly a few strangers, have been able to share her thoughts through the highs and lows of this most challenging period in her life in such an intimate way has been quite extraordinary. It must be a good thing, it must open up our minds and hearts to the challenges others face, just the transparent knowledge of what others are going through must improve us as human beings, and prepare us for our own challenges in life.
Ethel you are an inspiration to us all and I do hope you will forgive me for this blog. Enjoy your quiet time with ‘Norman’, a very special man, and please accept the love, thoughts and prayers of all my friends from around the world.
Luv
Steve
UHURU
4th JUNE 2011