I'm so happy this found publication Clare, and that you shared it on your Substack for us to read. I really enjoyed how you weaved so many poignant memories into the running thread of the hot water bottle. I'm now viewing my own (blue) hot water bottle with a much different regard, wondering what tales it too could tell!
And “That never happened, she died in the trap set for her” - as a daughter who mourns not just my mother but also the life she never got to live, the life I think she hoped for and was working towards - a freer one - this hits hard.
Thank you Joanne. You’re so right - it’s a double grief, both for the literal life she lost and the life she could have lived. Thanks for reading. I apprecaite your presence here!
I'm so happy this found publication Clare, and that you shared it on your Substack for us to read. I really enjoyed how you weaved so many poignant memories into the running thread of the hot water bottle. I'm now viewing my own (blue) hot water bottle with a much different regard, wondering what tales it too could tell!
Thank you Helen!
I love your use of metaphor, Clare.
And “That never happened, she died in the trap set for her” - as a daughter who mourns not just my mother but also the life she never got to live, the life I think she hoped for and was working towards - a freer one - this hits hard.
Thank you Joanne. You’re so right - it’s a double grief, both for the literal life she lost and the life she could have lived. Thanks for reading. I apprecaite your presence here!