You will never understand this, Julia, but it wasn’t until I faced the spectre of your mortality that I truly grasped the essence of beauty. As your world began to shrink, encasing us in a fragile bubble of uncertainty, I became acutely aware of the delicate charm embedded in every moment we shared. I noticed the warmth of your laughter, a fleeting melody that danced through the air like a soft breeze, and the graceful elegance of your fingers, so finely laced with life, as they traced gentle patterns across the quilt you adored. We often found ourselves wrapped in a cocoon of silence, but now I see it clearly—those moments were anything but empty. They were filled with an unspoken connection, a profound understanding that needed no words.

 

I often find myself pondering whether I have overlooked the deep essence of you, Julia. How would you respond to such a question? Would you grasp my hand gently, your touch electrifying and reassuring, and lean in to press your lips against mine in a soft, breathy kiss that spoke volumes, dispelling my uncertainties with the warmth of your affection? I hope so.

 

The grip of death has woven a tapestry of hauntingly exquisite beauty, adorned with a crown of brilliant thorns. It has created a path for me to reach out to you in ways I never dared to before, allowing my words to flow like a river of unsaid sentiments, now pouring forth with raw intensity and aching longing.

 

My dearest Julia, my heart brims with love for you—an honest, fervent affection. I cherish our exhilarating adventures, those wild moments when we laughed like there was no tomorrow. Equally precious are those tender, quiet times, wrapped in warmth and understanding, and the beautiful tapestry that was ‘us’.

 

 

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Gail Willington is a retired Funeral Director and a volunteer bereavement counsellor. She enjoys writing for fun and is currently studying ‘Literature In Transition from 1800 to the present day’. with the Open University.

Photo courtesy of Gail Willington

 

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