Jim, a colleague of mine from a former agency (back then we were both seconded from our respective police services) flew into town for a meeting and had time to catch up for a very long coffee (I took an extended lunch) break. We hadn't seen each other for some time. It was lovely to chat about those times, our respective families and "where to from here" for us both. It is also emotional (I don't show it) to see someone who brings back vivid memories of times together, including with Maria.
I arrived at Ben's footy training and engaged in deep conversation with one of the mums. She and I have been chatting briefly at training or the games but usually there have been quite a few distractions. We were both aware of each other's loss, but it wasn't until tonight that I realised she lost her husband to a rare type of brain tumour. Albeit there are some similarities in illnesses, their journeys were quite different. Her husband died within 2-3 months from onset of illness, partly because it wasn't diagnosed till extremely late. The outcome may have still been the same, even if caught when it was. She has two boys, one in Ben's team and an older brother. It was emotional, yet nice to talk with someone going through the same challenges, especially sharing about our kids' respective journeys.
