What I am about to say in remembrance of my Aunty Shirley will never do justice to her life that was well spent. I do not wish to speak of the sorrow and loss, but more so, of the joy and happiness that we had as a family with her being our aunty, sister , niece, cousin, godmother and friend.
Hearing the news of Aunty Shirley being rushed to hospital and being told her condition was not good, came as a shock to me.
I decided to fly home. On arriving, Dale took me straight to the hospital and mentioned that they had removed her from most of the life support which was a joy to hear. On arrival the nurse woke Aunty Shirley by calling her name out loud and shook her arm which I thought was a bit much. I was so delighted to see that she remembered me and could respond just before nodding of to a snore that night. Well, needless to say, I adopted the same approach when visiting her and it was a joy to get her to smile and even smirk at me. Since that day, she grew stronger and stronger up until this passed Saturday.
God miraculously healed her for that time, long enough for all to spend quality time with her and what a joy it was.
Our memories of Aunty Shirley are so rich of which I will mention but a few.
School teacher’s always needed books to be covered every school year. Well now we; being Dale and myself were the ones tricked into covering all of them; WHY you wonder, because she had all the nice cake and sweets that was pay for the work to be done. I’ll tell you this much, when all was said and done, we vowed never to offer again. But, like always, we got suckered back into doing it every year. (the bribes grew with time)
Shopping on Saturdays; man did I look forward to that, because she would buy us all the nice snacks and she was very wise about when she would give us our special treats……. right before the time of day when she needed to head to the book shop to exchange all her Mills & Boon novels. Now, I am sure there must be a good few of you who know about Mills & Boons. That was the most painful part as it would to take her forever to pick and choose the ones she wanted and then for the long trek back home with several carrier bags full of stuff. But, in good style, just before getting on the bus, she would give us more eats to keep us happy till we reached home.
When at high school, I used to travel with her to Belhar and on several occasions I would fall asleep in the train when heading home; well then she would wait till the train pulled off then bang on the windows at which I time I would end up either jumping out of a train window or having to get off the next stop. Oh, let me tell you, whatever we did wrong came back home via her and you know what followed then. But hey, if it was not for her looking out for our best interests, I might not be here to speak of her caring, loving and giving nature.
When the going was tough for the family, she was there and never said anything, she just did. Her giving of herself was boundless in everyway and form.
We had the great joy of spending time with her with on her 70th birthday and having the chance to show her Grace, our daughter. When staying over at her place, we tried the baby sitting thing with her one night. Low and behold Grace woke and we get the call to our mother’s house that Grace is crying and awake; so we head over and there we see Aunty Shirley with Grace in her arms. Grace all quiet, but Aunty Shirley could not move as you all know the little ones look small, but can sometimes weigh a good bit .It was funny to see, good also good to come to the rescue. But, you could see the joy and satisfaction in her eyes after having done that even though Grace weighed a ton at the time. Aunty Shirley always called her Princess Grace.
Aunty Shirley gave us so much throughout our lives that in no way could I ever repay her or make mention of it in this tribute to her. She took great pride in what other people did and accomplished and always had an encouraging word to say.
I have no idea how she did it; but she knew when everyone’s birthday or anniversary was and without fail sent a card or gift of some sort.
I am yet to find someone that can make coconut jam slices and Christmas mince pies like she did.
You may think well; what is this all about.
It is about a prosporous life that was well spent in every way and form.
Her’s was a life without words but pure action; now don’t get me wrong she was not perfect and neither are we. But what a great blessing and witness she was to so many in oh so many ways.
1st and foremost Aunty Shirley was a born again Christian ( Hallelujah ) and the day will come when all Christians will rise from the dead to be with our Almighty Father and there all who have Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour will meet her again.
She lived to just over 70 and God’s word says the following.
Psalms 90: 10,12 10 The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span [a] is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of your anger?
For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
2 Peter 3:10 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Mark 8:36"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?"
Lets make every day count for the Glory of GOD because what we amass on earth means NOTHING when we die. Live life to the full and let your legacy be rich in heaven.Glynn
