My Mother.

This is my mother, Mary. What a dynamic woman she was...well before her time.

Her mother passed away when she was only four, so she went to live with her aunt and uncle. They already had three other daughters.

She was what you would term today as being bullied at school for her very dark skin colour, Dad being one of those naughty children. We are not sure where this has come from originally. I like to say some handsome Spanish sailor jumped ship in southern Ireland and married or got a great- great-grandmother pregnant! Annie, Mum's mother is darker skinned than Mum was and we kids are. Mum's brother, Uncle Mick used to say we came from King Billy, an aboriginal leader in Tasmania! I liked my version better. Then again, if we did come from King Billy we would be Australian royalty, wouldn't we?

I spoke at Mum's funeral. She asked me to share her life as a mother. As there a four of us siblings, I didn't want to speak only about my relationship with Mum. I felt it was selfish. I shared the attributes she left us...her legacy. She taught us how to be strong, independant, perfectionists (not a good trait at times), hard working, creative, free spirits and many more things.

Now, as I look back over the year and a half since she 'flew', I can list many more things she has taught me, and us. I wished I appreciated her sacrifices more, listened more... learned more.

I guess it's never too late...and I am humble enough to open myself up to her guiding whispers from beyond and follow them with gratitude, knowing I am never alone, always being guided by my loved ones on the 'other side'.

In gratitude and love fo all my mother did for me, Jen xxx