Always look on the bright si-ide of life, de dum, de dum de dum de dum

I tend to count my blessings when I read things like this, JessM. Each of those young men have touched the lives of so many - least alone their own mothers. I count my blessings each and every day that my own son has overcome his own issues.....when, if he'd carried on as he had done, may never have made it to regain good health and strength. to you JessM.

I usually manage to see the bright side - been brought up with a mother who always has thought the world is out to get her - there is no bright side in her life and I really didn't want to see the world the way she does. Her mother on the other hand had a strong sense of the ridiculous and never took anything seriously. I feared a pendulum pattern, but luckily the pendulum stuck and both my DDs have the sillyness gene.

A breath of fresh air at last Jess.Would have loved a walk in Greatnan's mountains today

The above wasn't intended to be trite, but I fear ir reads that way. My best friend died at forty from bone cancer. She had the sillyness gene. It gave her family strength to face loosing her, so many friends were always around and there was laughter in the house right until the end. Twenty five years on and I can still hear her laughing response to bad situations.

Namaste Jess.

Good post.

That's quite a disproportionate load of the proverbial shit to land on and near your sons, jess. Yes, definitely worth counting one's blessings. Here's to you and yours (or , as preferred).

Thank you Jess

Was also thinking about sad events this evening.. Jan /Feb bad months for anniversaries of the deaths of loved ones but I can always hear the laughter and remember the positives that their lives imparted to the world.

jessM your sons and friends have experienced lots of tough life events This lullaby always makes me feel hopeful for the future.

Everything's Possible
We have cleared off the table, the leftovers saved,
Washed the dishes and put them away
I have told you a story and tucked you in tight
At the end of your knockabout day
As the moon sets it's sails to carry you to sleep
Over the midnight sea
I will sing you a song no one sang to me
May it keep you good company.

CHORUS:
You can be anybody you want to be,
You can love whomever you will
You can travel any country where your heart leads
And know I will love you still
You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around,
You can choose just one special one
And the only measure of your words and your deeds
Will be the love you leave behind when you're done.

There are girls who grow up strong and bold
There are boys quiet and kind
Some race on ahead, some follow behind
Some go in their own way and time
Some women love women, some men love men
Some raise children, some never do
You can dream all the day never reaching the end
Of everything possible for you.
Don't be rattled by names, by taunts, by games
But seek out spirits true
If you give your friends the best part of yourself
They will give the same back to you.
CHORUS:

Shalom!

That's lovely Nanaej. Does it have a tune? Sea shanty type?

Sobering thoughts, JessM - if you didn't look for a bright side wherever, you would just turn your face to the wall wouldn't you?
A bit of bickering seems even more trivial.

You must be missing your son tonight, Jess. I hate goodbyes in airports too. Let's hope it won't be too long before you can be airborne and off down under again.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUBc6-keVIQ

Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings see what God has done , count you blessing ,name them one by one,and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. All sung to a catchy little tune which I would write out for you if I new how! My sister and I often sing this to each other.

JessM I can give you summat cheerful about this bit:

Kidney failure (another DS1's friend, a lovely man, training to be a doctor, who will have to have a transplant)

in 2001 my sister had a liver and kidney transplant. She is doing fine - loads of people have kidney transplants and end up with a normal life span. He must look after his health though, and eat as natural a diet as possible. My sister finds the 'Stone Age' diet perfect for her, and her blood tests are always 100% good. She avoids all grains and as many carbs as possible, but eats plenty of meat, fish, green veggies and natural fats.

I'm with you jessM about airports. And it always seems to be goodbye never hello. I wonder if we know more about the misfortunes of the young because of keeping in touch via social media. I suspect things happened to contemporaries but they have dropped out of sight because we didn't keep up like this generation of young.

I always do try to keep upbeat and positive, but I'm a bit wobbly at the moment. Reading your Op JessM makes me feel rather guilty about my wobbles, as I realise that many people are having to cope with far more.