In memory of...

I am dedicating this post to a very special member of the Harry Browns, the sea shanty group my partner D sings with. Sadly, one of the members, B, died yesterday afternoon after a long illness. It was expected, but you can never quite fully prepare yourself for the impact a loved ones death will have on you. I had never met B, nor had the honour of listening to him sing in person, but i can see from D that he was a very special man and had touched many people along the way. Another member, S, had written a beautiful tribute to B, and i would like to share it if all of you...

In a grubby pond there lived many water bugs. They went about their daily lives quite unaffected by the world around them. They noticed that every now and again, one of their number would climb up a plant stalk and disappear never to be seen again. the bugs that were left, mused on this and after some time, decided that the next bug to climb the stalk would come back and tell the others what was happening.

After a while one of the bugs found himself climbing a stalk, he climbed higher and higher until he broke through the surface of the water and was suddenly transformed into a beautiful dragonfly, able to fly and swoop through the clean air and wonderful sunshine. After a while he remembered that he was meant to go back and tell the other bugs what had happened. He flew back to the pond and saw his friends below, in the water. He tried many times to get back down to them, to tell them of the wonderment of what had happened to him. Of his beauty, of the wonderful place he was now at. But try as he could, he could not break through the surface of the water, to get back to his friends. He tried for many hours but realized he was unable to get back, so, he flew off to his new life, safe in the knowledge that they would one day join him in this new, wonderful place.

Goodnight B, one day we will all be Dragonflies, together again.

Sing those sea shanties with all your pride there in heaven B. God bless you honey.