Life, its’ changes and how it changes you.

2024 thus far has been a year full of tragedy and sadness - for me, for close family and for close neighbours. Never before has life taught me more blatantly that we can take nothing for granted; not tomorrow, not next week, not even the next few minutes.

I am not talking about one catastrophic event which has affected all these people. No, I am talking about numerous sudden, awful occurrences which have resulted, sadly, in serious illness, brutal surgery and in loss of life. In two instances this was hard on the heels of awful diagnoses that gave little hope, but it was still believed the people concerned would have some time left at least. Unfortunately, this did not turn out to be true.

Then we have the extremely vulnerable victim of crime, held practically at ransom for three or four days in her own home on my street, by two especially rancid individuals who were, thankfully, caught and arrested.

There are myriad other problems interwoven around all of this. I am not a child. I know life gets hard, it gets challenging and shit happens, but I have never known a time like it. The wonderful title, ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ comes close to describing it, if you were to swap the word ‘unfortunate’ for ‘tragic.’

Still, I am known for being something of a relentless optimist. Even now, I still hope that things can get better. That there can be some joy to come out of all this sadness. That the changes that are to come can bring good things with them, things that might otherwise have never been addressed. Time will tell.

I wanted to share my photo of this beautiful headstone, taken in a small cemetery in Laugharne. I don’t know whose final resting place this is, but I hope they are indeed resting in peace. The words seem to sum it all up perfectly.

I have been deliberately vague, not using names of the people I refer to. This is because I would hate to inadvertently add to anyone’s hurt. I hope that, should anyone close to them read this, they find some small comfort in this gentle epitaph, and know that I am thinking of them.

Take care everyone, life is short.

S P Oldham

Sunflowers

I was very pleasantly surprised to hear that Silversurfers picked my poem 'Sunflowers' as Editor's Choice for March. (Please see original post below.) As well as that distinction, I also won a £25 Amazon Gift Voucher. I felt that it was only right that I in turn donate £25 to the crisis in Ukraine, which was after all the inspiration for the poem. In the interests of fairness I just wanted to share that here. Thank you everyone and thank you Silversurfers, for making my day!

This has been on my mind for a couple of weeks now. Inspired by the incredibly brave Ukrainian lady who gave a Russian soldier sunflower seeds, that at least they might grow from the soil when he lies dead. War is so tragic. Sunflowers, as I am sure most of us now know, are Ukraine's national flower. They are a symbol of unity and much more, now.

I don't want politics here so please take it elsewhere, with respect. This is just an expression of grief, inspiration and despite it all, hope. I am not Ukrainian, but I just had to write this. Thanks.