After three months of very ill health my 78 year-old brother died last Monday and I am trying to gather myself prior to the funeral next week.
We have had a strange relationship, inasmuch as he was 13 years my senior & had left home by the time I was really aware of his existance. We have led totally different lives maintaining friendly, but not close, contact throughout the years. I have always been "Kid" to him.
Our relationship altered when he was widowed 3 years ago & had a heart attack the following year. I had extended stays with him on those occasions ( & several more recently) where we were able to bond - these were the first occasions that we had spent quality time alone together. It was a revelation to find that although we differed greatly in many ways I was truly very fond of him.
I visited him again just a few days before he died & we spent a few precious minutes on our own - I returned the favour of feeding him a few spoonfuls, as he must have done to me when I was a baby - we smiled.
His death has left me deeply saddened, with regret for time 'wasted', tempered with happiness of more recent times spent together, & with hope of a developing relationship with my nephew.
