Hello again dear anipals and welcome to Nutty’s Blog. Today I am being a little different as I am handing over (for one day only!) to Mum because she has a lovely story she would like to share with you all.
Even though I am a dog and speak only dachshund, Mum understands that I can connect with her energies and vibrations and this can be helped by the tone of voice. Therefore whether anyone thinks us weird or not I am proud to say that Mum tells me stories all the time; whispers them into my wee floppy ears she does and I don’t mind telling you it relaxes me completely and I am soon nodding off on her shoulder.
It’s a dog’s life indeed…
Till next time,
Love & leggies, Nutty x
The Lady Who Was Not Afraid to Die
Once upon a time there was an old lady and as she grew older her three grandchildren (for children can be rather outspoken) would ask her whether she was afraid to die.
Instead of being shocked or angry, the wise old lady winked and pulled the children close. ‘Why would I be afraid,’ she asked with her twinkly eyes shining bright as they always did when she was starting to enjoy herself.
Thomas, the four-year-old, thought for a while ‘Well coz you are so old Gran,’ he finally said with his thumb jammed in the corner of his mouth.
‘That I am lad,’ Gran agreed ‘and does being old mean you have to be afraid?’
Thomas thought about that one. ‘No,’ he said slowly so that Gran understood he’d given her question some serious thought ‘no you don’t,’ he ended with finality.
Gran nodded and Thomas leaned in for a Gran-hug, giggling as she tickled him just the way he liked.
‘You Lynn,’ Gran drew her only granddaughter into the debate although thirteen-year-old Lynn was doing her best to sidle out of the room having deemed the question to be rude ‘do you think I should be afraid because I am old.’
‘You’re not old Gran,’ Lynn tried.
‘I am,’ Gran asserted ‘I’m 83. I had your Mum late in life and she had you late too. I am definitely old. Why there are some Great-Grans younger than me!’ Gran chortled at this although none of the children knew why it was funny.
‘OK you’re old,’ eleven-year-old Terry agreed ‘but I think dying is scary whatever age you are.’
‘I’m going to be scared to die when I’m old,’ Thomas asserted.
Gran laughed her high, tinkly laugh. ‘Nonsense,’ she said ‘and I’ll tell you why.’
‘Why?’ the three children couldn’t resist asking and once again the magnetic power of Gran’s stories brought them under her spell.
‘When you get to be 83 –‘Gran began
‘Like you,’ Thomas clarified.
‘Like me,’ Gran agreed. ‘Now if you are lucky enough to get to be as old as I am now then you won’t be afraid to die any more than I am – and I’ll tell you why,’ she rushed on seeing Thomas’ mouth open and one of his never-ending questions about to pop out ‘because I have more of my family on the other side than I do on this side.’
‘Side of what Gran?’
‘Side of life. This side – here, that side –‘
‘Dead,’ Thomas stated.
‘If you like, yes.’
‘You have more people dead than alive,’ Lynn said slowly s the realisation hit her.
‘Of course,’ Gran laughed ‘I have my Mum, my Dad, a sister and two brothers, dozens of uncles, aunts, cousins – oh and of course my own grandparents – two sets of them.’
‘And Papa,’ added Terry, remembering the grandfather his Gran loved so much.
‘And Papa,’ Gran smiled softly and her twinkly blue eyes grew watery.
‘When you die it will be a party!’ Thomas whooped ‘paaaartaaaaaay!’
‘Ssh Tom don’t say that,’ Lynn was shocked.
‘The child is quite right,’ Gran agreed with Thomas and ruffled his hair making it even messier than it already was ‘there will be a party – a homecoming party – on the other side.’
‘Paaaaaaartaaaaay!’ Thomas screamed again jumping up and down like a spring lamb.
Gran patted her hair. ‘Oh yes I am looking forward to that paaaaaartaaaaay!’ the children looked at one another in stunned disbelief – as much as Gran’s fairly accurate rendition of the word party as much as the content of what she was saying.
‘You’re not sad then – to be old I mean?’ asked Terry.
‘Not a bit of it son.’
‘Will you miss us?’ asked Lynn.
‘Of course I will,’ Gran smiled ‘but you see I have had a lot more years missing them and it would make me so happy to see them all again.’
‘’Specially Papa,’ Thomas agreed wisely.
‘Especially Papa.’
‘Ok then,’ Thomas summed up ‘I think it will be best if we are all happy when you die Gran then you won’t need to be sad leaving us when you are going to meet the other ones – on the side – in life – who are dead – I mean-‘
‘I understand perfectly,’ Gran laughed as if she was delighted with the whole world and everyone in it ‘now who’s for some juice and cake?’
‘Paaaaaaaartaaaaaay!’ cried Thomas.
nutty261 