Oh What a year! Part 4: Goodbye to Good Friends

  My bestest friend who I will call 'Mac' (because i dont know anyone else so obsessed with Apple and is my techno assist) who was featured in a previous post left for a 5 month exchange to Japan the day after we got back from our trip so we had to say goodbye to him just as we were saying hello. The thing about him being away, apart from missing the movie nights, and drunken foolishness and his constant knowledge on the most ridiculous things- and important things like what movies and shows to download, but he was in Japan during the Earthquakes! He was fine of course, and didnt really see what everyone was so worried about him because he was *soo* far away from them, but still, its nice to have him back again! He brought us back the most ridiculous Kit Kat flavours (yes giving in to the evil of nestle, but only for Mac) like sweet potato, cheese and green tea!!

Mac saying hello with his hat in honour of not being around for out mad hatters engagement party!

Check out his photography blog at: http://www.talesfromthecamera.blogspot.com/

 I also have to add here that we also had to say a deeply sad goodbye to a dear dear friend who was like an uncle to me. He passed away in July and it really really rocked me and my family- especially beacuse Ive never had to deal with death that close to me before and one minute he was there like he always was and the next minute he's not! Its so hard because you can see the pain that is being suffered by his family but nothing will make it better and all we could do was be there and make things more comfortable for them- but everything seems so unhelpful and issues seem so trivial compared. Death and goodbyes are not something I cope with well so with everything else going on at that time I became so confused and lost. You start to wonder what youd do with out other close people in your life- its freaking scare! You really do start to question life and happiness so much more and I started to get to frustrated by so many people around me and their inability to make positive choices in their life that would not only positively impact them, but also those around them. I think i just became really frustrated and disollusioned with people and life in general. This friend who passed was an inspiration because he was just so happy-go-lucky, and like us was interested in living a simple but happy life. He was your ultimate nice guy who lived for his family and to cycle and be happy! He and his wife had been blissfully married for over 30 years (since she was 15) and he adored his daughter more than anything (even his bike)! It was just so unfair that he got taken too early! You dont really realise how much impact someone has on your life and your consciousness until your forced to say goodbye and think about it more clearly. I certainly have taken a deeper interest in learning more about grief and loss therapy because ive always avoided it because i find it too hard, but its a necessary part of life- if only to help his family and those in my life who will ultimately lose someone they love. No words ever seem adequate!

so with all the changes and craziness, grief and loss came in every way imaginable this year!