The Departure of a Grand Soul, to a Grand Place
atOn the 10th of Last month the lovely Marjorie Prisley moved off to another dimension. She was in her 90th year. Marjorie was the subject of my first blog, and in the following five months after she was taken ill, she taught me an enormous amount, as did her daughters – Jane and Eileen, who are my family.
Jane and Eileen nursed their mother at her family home at Green Farm in Cosgrove until the day she died. Green Farm is as aged and cranky as it is possible to imagine, only more so. It is full of strange ceramic stuff, bed warmers, knick-knacks and things like horse brasses, as well as being furnished with all sorts of items that have appeared miraculously from other people’s homes, to be used, sat on or made to store stuff in. You cannot begin to imagine the sheer quantity of weird stuff furnishing this house that just does not seem to match up to anything in any sensible way. The sitting room, which is the most comfortable place in this rambling house, is just about the only place to sit in, and that was given over to a hospital bed and various items used to look after the fading Marj; nevertheless there were no visible reminders of the old lady’s situation, like commodes or medical equipment. All efforts were made to keep things homely, warm, jolly, clean and cheerful.
Accompanying Marj on her journey of departure was a team of loving relatives, friends and caring people, watching over her night and day, including Marie Curie Nurses at night. Marj’s end was truly inspirational.
It was a real privilege carrying out her funeral as well, and much to the amazement of Jane and Eileen the 70+ people that came to the funeral nearly all rushed back to Green Farm, and proceeded to party and party again, which was exactly and precisely what Marj would have liked best. It was, undoubtedly a profound, and celebratory end to a good life, that honoured her in the spirit and the way that was all her own.
We are learning to get closer to honouring death, but it is taking us a long time to stop being fearful and start being sensible. We have a long way to go to overcome our dread and insecurity. 
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