clive_morrisau - Home Is Where The Heart is . . .
IMG_4583 - Peace, Perfect Peace . . .
The ravages of time are evident in these tombstones. This is the graveyard of St John's Church at Richmond, Tasmania, one of - if not the oldest - graveyards in Tasmania. (Here is a link for further reading and history . . . www.puginfoundation.org/assets/Richmond_Essay.pdf).
These stonemasons knew their craft and were able to fashion intricate work. The ravages of time are evident in the lichen that is growing on this tombstone as well as the other tombstones too. The lettering on the gravestones is another wonder of their craft too, and nowadays, not so much sandstone headstones are used but that of marble, and in different hues and shades.
I find graveyards fascinating to visit - there is much history tied up here!! Some headstones reveal and age well into the 90s or maybe even the 100s, some are in the 80s, 70s and backwards down the scale. Then there are the very young children from babies to upwards and I feel saddened that these children did not get to experience what life was all about. Or maybe it was their destiny that they come into this world for a short time, then flee on spiritual wings to a life that is bereft os suffering, a release from pain and hardship.
Some gravestones carry a verse, or a brief glimpse into that person's life.
Having been diagnosed with prostate cancer I am now aware of the statistics for my age group - one in 7 in Australia and I presume it is similar around the world. Then there are all the other forms of cancer that abound. Success rates for myself are very high, whereas there is a lovely lady who came into the "home" where we are staying and, sadly, she is slipping away and does not have long to live and she was a beautiful and friendly lady. Rosey and I and the other residents enjoyed her company very much!! We feel for her husband, another champion, and her family. One thing we can be certain of, we are on this earth for a given amount of time, we came into this world with nothing and we shall leave this world with nothing . . .
Last night (Wednesday) we decided to have a barbecue and most of the residents attended, around 20 of us, some single, mostly with our spouses and we got to meet spouses of patients we had not met before, and it was a wonderful celebration of life. Our meal consisted of a traditional Aussie barbecue with steak, chops, sausages, fish (our choice and Atlantic salmon cutlets at that - delicious) and to accompany these delicacies were salads and to finish off a trifle, cheese cake and ice cream. All went down the hatch extremely well, we can vouch for that!!! So in our world, although the different patients have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer, together we laughed and joked the night away.
Even in the waiting room when we are awating our ray treatment, we have established wonderful friendships with people who have chosen to be day patients and it is always a joy to see each other, although it is only for a 1/2 hour each day, and again we laugh and joke which is the way it ought to be!!!!
Rosey and I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a wonderful and safe 2013. We hope your dreams, your pathway, and your lives will be trouble free, that you are continually blessed by God in all that you do and achieve. Certainly, like our cancer mates here we both feel very close and attached to you all and thanks for being our wonderful and faithful friends on Flickr. What a journey!!! And if you are going through a difficult patch, we hope and pray it will be pain free and victory will be yours in the end!!! Love and God bless you all and may 2013 be a wonderful journey for you all!!
In closing we had a wonderful Christmas Day together in Griffith, 180 klms away from Wagga where my treatment takes place. It was great to come home and have a quiet time with just us, no visitors which we wanted and time to ourselves, relaxing and watching TV (Andre Rieu was one of the wonders) and what a great day we had. We also hope your Christmas time was very special for you all and that 2013 will be a wonderful journey for you all!!!!!
Clive and Rosey xxxxxxxxx
IMG_4583 - Peace, Perfect Peace . . .
The ravages of time are evident in these tombstones. This is the graveyard of St John's Church at Richmond, Tasmania, one of - if not the oldest - graveyards in Tasmania. (Here is a link for further reading and history . . . www.puginfoundation.org/assets/Richmond_Essay.pdf).
These stonemasons knew their craft and were able to fashion intricate work. The ravages of time are evident in the lichen that is growing on this tombstone as well as the other tombstones too. The lettering on the gravestones is another wonder of their craft too, and nowadays, not so much sandstone headstones are used but that of marble, and in different hues and shades.
I find graveyards fascinating to visit - there is much history tied up here!! Some headstones reveal and age well into the 90s or maybe even the 100s, some are in the 80s, 70s and backwards down the scale. Then there are the very young children from babies to upwards and I feel saddened that these children did not get to experience what life was all about. Or maybe it was their destiny that they come into this world for a short time, then flee on spiritual wings to a life that is bereft os suffering, a release from pain and hardship.
Some gravestones carry a verse, or a brief glimpse into that person's life.
Having been diagnosed with prostate cancer I am now aware of the statistics for my age group - one in 7 in Australia and I presume it is similar around the world. Then there are all the other forms of cancer that abound. Success rates for myself are very high, whereas there is a lovely lady who came into the "home" where we are staying and, sadly, she is slipping away and does not have long to live and she was a beautiful and friendly lady. Rosey and I and the other residents enjoyed her company very much!! We feel for her husband, another champion, and her family. One thing we can be certain of, we are on this earth for a given amount of time, we came into this world with nothing and we shall leave this world with nothing . . .
Last night (Wednesday) we decided to have a barbecue and most of the residents attended, around 20 of us, some single, mostly with our spouses and we got to meet spouses of patients we had not met before, and it was a wonderful celebration of life. Our meal consisted of a traditional Aussie barbecue with steak, chops, sausages, fish (our choice and Atlantic salmon cutlets at that - delicious) and to accompany these delicacies were salads and to finish off a trifle, cheese cake and ice cream. All went down the hatch extremely well, we can vouch for that!!! So in our world, although the different patients have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer, together we laughed and joked the night away.
Even in the waiting room when we are awating our ray treatment, we have established wonderful friendships with people who have chosen to be day patients and it is always a joy to see each other, although it is only for a 1/2 hour each day, and again we laugh and joke which is the way it ought to be!!!!
Rosey and I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a wonderful and safe 2013. We hope your dreams, your pathway, and your lives will be trouble free, that you are continually blessed by God in all that you do and achieve. Certainly, like our cancer mates here we both feel very close and attached to you all and thanks for being our wonderful and faithful friends on Flickr. What a journey!!! And if you are going through a difficult patch, we hope and pray it will be pain free and victory will be yours in the end!!! Love and God bless you all and may 2013 be a wonderful journey for you all!!
In closing we had a wonderful Christmas Day together in Griffith, 180 klms away from Wagga where my treatment takes place. It was great to come home and have a quiet time with just us, no visitors which we wanted and time to ourselves, relaxing and watching TV (Andre Rieu was one of the wonders) and what a great day we had. We also hope your Christmas time was very special for you all and that 2013 will be a wonderful journey for you all!!!!!
Clive and Rosey xxxxxxxxx