Public Address | Cafe | Island Life: The longest last time

nic.wise

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:45:45 +1300

Lump. Back of throat.

Thank you, David. It's a pity such outstanding writing has to be on such a unhappy topic.

dyan campbell

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:13:55 +1200

David, this is such a sad story, and you've written about this so beautifully, thank you.

I'm struck by the empathy and thoughtfulness of small children – people are fond of saying children can be cruel, but it has struck me that they are even more capable of being kind.…

TONY CIPRIAN

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:36:16 +1200

I was a bystander at Narrow Neck Beach and was moved when I learned the farewell was for a brave little girl.

I watched the mourners with orange balloons walk to water's edge. It was very touching when they released the balloons on a brisk south-east breeze.

The balloons took…

Emma Rogan

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:29:09 +1200

Sandy did an amazing job, she did right by her girl, and the you're right David, the DVD gave me a wonderful sense of Finlee, what a total spunk. It was a wonderful & terrible. There is comfort in grieving together at a funeral – I felt worse later when I…

stuartm

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:02:48 +1200

That's an incredibly sad story and I honestly don’t know how I would cope if it was my 1 year old daughter in this story.

Martha Craig

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:59:04 +1200

Man, I can hardly breathe after reading that. My heart goes out to Finlee's family and friends. I can't imagine a greater loss.

Jackie Clark

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:30:27 +1200

I'm so desperately sorry this happened, David. There is nothing one can say or do that make the death of a child better. I would imagine you wish there was. However, you have served Finlee and her family well with your beautiful words. Bearing witness is so important. I believe…

David Slack

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:31:24 +1200

Thank you all for the appreciative words. If you would like something somewhat more comforting to take away, there is this, which Michelle told us last night. A significant development in the treatment of Ewings Sarcoma is thought to be just a few years away. That could mean all the…

Deborah

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:38:14 +1200

Yes. It's beautiful writing, and it's so good that you have told us this story. As Mark Graham said, it helps is to remember what is important.

Russell Brown

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:13:49 +1200

I've been thinking about what makes this post so affecting: apart, obviously, from the heart-rending subject.

It's the syntax. The rhythm, the use of the colon before all speech, the parts of conversation. It captures the episodic, slightly-out-of-time experience of an occasion where no one can feel they measure up…

Mark Graham

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:47:10 +1200

Anyone who has a child must surely weep. I thought I had got it together again and then I read the poem from Francis and started all over again.

So terribly, terribly sad.

thanks for the reminder of what's really precious out there.

Richard Llewellyn

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:11:36 +1200

My god thats so sad. I cannot imagine.

A friend tragically lost her one-year old in recent times (on his birthday). The funeral was the saddest event. When they asked everyone at the end to come up and personally say farewell, to Jeff Buckleys Last Goodbye, it was devastating.

I…

James Francis

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:06:35 +1200

I'm with Andrew. I don't know what to say. So if I may, I'm going to use somebody else's words.

It's a poem I saw a few years ago and I remember the big lump in my throat when I first read it.

We have an 11 year old daughter.…

Sara Bee

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:55:11 +1200

I have a knot in my stomach and a lump in my throat, and I want my Timmy (7 and 3 quarters) to come home from school, RIGHT NOW.

Andrew Smith

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:07:05 +1200

I want to post something...but my words are weirdly failing me. I think I'll just go and give my 9 year old girl a hug.

Mike Havoc

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:54:47 +1200

Very special piece .

cheers David

Paul Williams

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:49:18 +1200

I think I would shatter into a million pieces if it was one of my girls.

Exactly how I feel.

Like all others, my thoughts are with your friends.

andrew llewellyn

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:18:09 +1200

on the other hand I can imagine that doing it yourself can be cathartic and help you work through the process

Well, it gives you something to keep busy with when all you want to do really is lie on the bed & cry for days.

Paul Campbell

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:08:01 +1200

One thing I've noticed that's changed when we moved back home after 20 years of OE was that suddenly we're going to many more funerals than weddings ....

The ones that are choreographed by undertakers seem often to be stilted and awkward and the few that families take and make…

Pdogge

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:21:08 +1200

I feel so very sad for this family and it must be just so awful awful awful....I am just very grateful for my children and grandchildren´s lives. May we all hold this family in the light of our love.

Russell Brown

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:01:30 +1200

Yikes. I'm teary-eyed in a busy Wellington cafe. People will talk.

What a great piece of writing.

Ian MacKay

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:00:58 +1200

Makes me wonder about the attitude of some who demand the right to hit their kids. Don't they realize how fragile/robust a kid is? A fine piece of writing David. Thankyou.

andrew llewellyn

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:05:31 +1200

Thanks David, I do think it helps to share the grief. My thoughts are with them today.

Deborah

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:43:25 +1200

My beloved eldest daughter is nine. Just thinking about this mother's grief, and the young life gone, has me weeping over my keyboard.

Whoops

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:01:00 +1200

Great writing, thanks.

samuel walker

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:31:33 +1200

dammit David I thought I was done crying for the day.

very nice words and none truer said.

Paul Brislen

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:42:30 +1200

OK, I'm going to need a warning at the start of your posts from now on. I insist on it.

I think I would shatter into a million pieces if it was one of my girls.

Islander

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:09:09 +1200

Excellent post and a sad, sad reminder that, while all of us, from newborn to ancient-of-days, die, it seems worse & harder when it's a growing kid-

I note that people can also 'lose' live children – to mental illness, estrangement – and have no Guardian Angels to help.

Julie Fairey

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:58:00 +1200

Thank you David.

Jacqui Craig

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:48:35 +1200

I just had to go and hug my little girl extra extra tight. My heart goes out to that family, I can't even begin to imagine losing a child under any circumstances.

Public Address

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:48:35 +1200

Discussion from blog post.