Life Support project: Sarah Dobbs

My writer friend Sarah Dobbs has started a project called Life Support to encourage kindness – in word and deed – over on her blog. And I was so moved by her video, which remembers her brother Steven, that I wanted to contribute. I have therefore written a few words in memory of my grandma who died a few years ago but is still much missed – and I’ve donated to Age UK to help support them in their work with the elderly. Please consider writing a few words about someone you care about and then give a little to charity if you can. Here are my words:

I fed you ice cream, remember?

I fed you ice cream with some kind of crème caramel in it and your mouth opened a little to take it, to taste it. A reflex I think, to the touch of the cold spoon. But I’m not sure you did take it. Or taste it. I’m not sure you took much at all now.

And when I tried again your mouth didn’t move at all. It just stayed shut, like your eyes. Like your eyes had been for days.

I tried to feed you ice cream with crème caramel in it and your mouth stayed shut just like your eyes.

Someone said, leave it love. Leave it. But I couldn’t. Not straight away. I don’t know why. Maybe because you were never the type to turn a sweet thing down.

I put the spoon to your lips again but they stayed shut like your eyes. You never would turn a sweet thing down. Not you.

I fed you ice cream. There was some kind of crème caramel in it. Remember? And someone, my mum I think, said, leave it love. Leave it. She won’t eat it now. And your mouth didn’t move at all.