A close old family friend died yesterday evening. He was 95 so it was a very good innings and for the most part, a life well led. Granville had been born on a property near Captains Flat in 1916 when things around these parts were still a bit wild. The men grew up tough and Granville was no exception. The local towns were tough places in those days and although he wasn’t a big man from what I here Granville more than held his own as a boxer. He was a supervisor in the mine at Captains Flat when it was still a “Wild West” type town and later an explosives expert who helped develop most of Tuggeranong where I have lived for most of my life.
He lived hard. A big drinker. A big personality prone to crankiness as he got older. I guess we all know the type.
The last 20 years or so of his life wasn’t as pleasant as it could have been. Living by himself in a rundown old place in Narrabundah after his wife died he found it too hard to look after himself although he was too proud to admit it. He finally acquiesced to living in the nursing home where my mother and sister work and they looked after him as well as anyone possibly could.
Granville was too tough for his own good and battled his last illness as hard as he could. Unfortunately this is a battle that we will all eventually lose and he succumbed peacefully last night at about 6.30pm.
To my embarrassment I realised that I hadn’t had as much to do with Granville over the last couple of years when he lived in the nursing home as I should have and I guess that a feeling of guilt intensifies when a person passes on. But it did get me thinking about life and death a bit. Perhaps a bit too much!
When someone lives to such an age one can only imagine the people that he has known and the things that he has done. The end of a great chapter in the book of life. Then I suppose after your grandchildren and great grandchildren die your name disappears and is forgotten. The fate that awaits all but a few famous ones.
I think the thing that strikes me most when someone I know well dies is the feeling that everyone should live their life as well as they can. It moves along with a rapid gait and 10 years can pass by quickly. Sometimes I look back at things that seemed like they happened a few months ago and realise it was years ago!
So I guess my advice is to live your life and enjoy it the best you can. No-one can change anything once you are dead and I think occasionally you have to be selfish and do your own thing and be fulfilled.
You only live once. Go for it!
He lived hard. A big drinker. A big personality prone to crankiness as he got older. I guess we all know the type.
The last 20 years or so of his life wasn’t as pleasant as it could have been. Living by himself in a rundown old place in Narrabundah after his wife died he found it too hard to look after himself although he was too proud to admit it. He finally acquiesced to living in the nursing home where my mother and sister work and they looked after him as well as anyone possibly could.
Granville was too tough for his own good and battled his last illness as hard as he could. Unfortunately this is a battle that we will all eventually lose and he succumbed peacefully last night at about 6.30pm.
To my embarrassment I realised that I hadn’t had as much to do with Granville over the last couple of years when he lived in the nursing home as I should have and I guess that a feeling of guilt intensifies when a person passes on. But it did get me thinking about life and death a bit. Perhaps a bit too much!
When someone lives to such an age one can only imagine the people that he has known and the things that he has done. The end of a great chapter in the book of life. Then I suppose after your grandchildren and great grandchildren die your name disappears and is forgotten. The fate that awaits all but a few famous ones.
I think the thing that strikes me most when someone I know well dies is the feeling that everyone should live their life as well as they can. It moves along with a rapid gait and 10 years can pass by quickly. Sometimes I look back at things that seemed like they happened a few months ago and realise it was years ago!
So I guess my advice is to live your life and enjoy it the best you can. No-one can change anything once you are dead and I think occasionally you have to be selfish and do your own thing and be fulfilled.
You only live once. Go for it!
Strange Notations From a Laborious Life 