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Eade's Story

A Short Story of Living with Loss

By Steven BaldryPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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This morning when my alarm went off at 5am. I felt a bit sorry for myself in the sense that I had to get out of bed and leave my daughter Tehya at home all snug under the warm cosy covers at my Dad's while I set off in the dark for Heathrow Airport to collect a friend.

The traffic on the way to London was so much better than it was a month ago when I took her there in the cold and as the heavy snow fall was beginning, so I made it there in good time to meet her as she returned from her month in Thailand.

After I parked the car in the multi-story car park and walked to the arrival lounge my eyes looked around amongst the many people that had just got off the airplane. There was a sea of what seemed hundreds of faces, so many busy, stressed faces, then I saw Eade. My friend I was there to collect.

Eade is an elderly lady who is not disabled but has problems with her leg so walks with a cane... She had just returned from spending a month in Thailand seeing her family and friends.

The beaming smile on her face when I saw her was a real picture to see and a complete contrast to how I remembered her last year.

Eade moved into the block of flats where I used to live 2 years ago, just after Christmas. When she moved in, Tehya and I introduced ourselves and straight away I saw she was a lovely woman with a good heart but great sadness behind her eyes.

She could barely talk more than a few sentences without crying, she had recently lost her husband and was struggling to find anything to bring her peace or happiness. It was heartbreaking to see.

As time passed, Tehya and I spent time with Eade and learnt about her late husband. We became quite close. Tehya especially spent several evenings sitting with her and talking with her. Taking her cards/cakes when she made them. I helped her where I could with things around the flat. We all became friends.

I learnt that apart from her son who lives in this country, all her family are in Thailand and she missed them terribly but she couldn’t face going all that way on her own to see them. Especially without her husband.

As time passed I have seen her cry less and slowly regain her smile.

She has grown in confidence, strength and happiness.

I was very proud of her a month ago when I dropped her off at Heathrow with her bags and her walking stick. She showed great courage and strength breaking through her fear barrier and following the love in heart she had inside for her family and life.

Over the last month I have wondered how she has been getting on most days.

Today when I saw her at the airport her face said it all.

She was revitalised. Full of life and happiness.

I think the reason I am writing this is because as happy as Eade looked today I felt as happy to see her today knowing just a bit of her journey.

Eades story is inspirational and I wanted to share it with you all.

She lost the love of her life and felt that her happiness and smile was lost forever too.

It has taken time and like she said today, "I will always love him and think of him but today I feel happier than a long time and I am smiling again."

I said, "What a great start to 2018 Eade because I’m normally laying in bed with a hangover but this year I am here, getting you... so already this year is going better for us as we are both smiling again."

friendship
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About the Creator

Steven Baldry

I have been writing Poetry since I was a teenager. Now in my late thirties I enjoy it more than ever. I find it a wonderful release and it helps me to free my mind and understand myself and my emotions.

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