The PR Blog

Some time ago, I was sitting at my dinner table with my family. We were enjoying our normal Sunday Roast dinner and apple crumble and custard for dessert. Our Sunday night's were very special to us as family and we enjoyed them whilst we embraced the joy of family companionship and love.

" When a loved one departs this world because of illness and  age , you know it is going to happen that the end is near, but it still comes as a shock , has he or she has really  gone , at the time you don't really realize that it means forever, never to see them again, that part of your life is over. I was married for over 65 years.

The final details take up  your time and  mind , the gathering to celebrate the life of your loved one, family,   friends and neighbours comforting you.  

After a few months reality sets in, who do you chat with over your early  morning cup of tea or coffee , you have the dog , the cat is always there .   They are full of understanding,  they miss the departed one too . The company and the pleasure of talking about the planned day's activities  are only in your mind not being shared with someone you love.   Meals prepared for one  ,   where is the question of what do you feel like for lunch today.  

You are told by friends  the loss takes about 2 years to  accept and recover from,  but that is not true, it gets worse if anything.   You miss even more the company , the  discussions,  the different ideas and opinions that give spice to life .   You miss the  partnership of doing household chores, planning something new in the garden , watching together  your  favourite TV shows.    Putting up with him or her watching their favourite show , but not yours.

It is something that comes to all of us at some stage in our lives,  perhaps some can handle it  more successfully  , but I think until it happens to you  it is hard to imagine the  impact and change it does have on your everyday life.   There is one good side to all of this  and that is , what would life have been like if you had not had the good fortune to meet and   love someone  who meant so much to you. "  ... Redhead

Is it right wing extremist to say "close the borders " and "Australia First"? A young and intelligent man I know and love, who prides himself on being a centrist, has suggested to me that these phrases are somehow worthy of his contempt. But I wonder, what is so contemptuous about those 5 words?

You need only watch Monty Python's "The Holy Grail " or "The Meaning of Life ""Life of Brian "or the multitude of sketches they churned out each week in their Flying Circus to see the tragedy and foolishness of the satire that Brexit has become. Indeed, many of the classic Python pieces show remarkable insight into the complete disaster it has become.

Do not feed the trolls. Ignore them,do not feed them. Yet they are multiplying and becoming worse. Has our ignorance worked? Is ignoring a problem and not giving them the attention they want worked?