Just about to go to the dog friendly pub in Conwy and will be working all day tomorrow so I shall share a quick story of " small worlds" with you.
As I was walking through the village a few minutes ago, I spied a middle aged woman walking with a younger girl. Both looked as though they were looking for something.
I asked if I could help.
It transpired that the woman' s grandmother had recently died and her dying wish was for her ashes to be scattered in the village where she had met her husband many many years ago.
" we talked about places where she wanted her ashes to go" The woman explained. " on top of Gop hill was one place but she really wanted them to be scattered near to her old family home, a cottage called Tan-y-Fynwent"
" That's the old name of our cottage! " I told her in surprise " It means Beneath the Graveyard"
The woman was somewhat astonished to find someone who now lives in her ancestral home and was even more surprised when I told her she was welcome to scatter her grandmother's ashes on the field
" You will be watched by two old ewes and a few funny little cockerels but you are more than welcome" I said
She was pleased as punch.
As I was walking through the village a few minutes ago, I spied a middle aged woman walking with a younger girl. Both looked as though they were looking for something.
I asked if I could help.
It transpired that the woman' s grandmother had recently died and her dying wish was for her ashes to be scattered in the village where she had met her husband many many years ago.
" we talked about places where she wanted her ashes to go" The woman explained. " on top of Gop hill was one place but she really wanted them to be scattered near to her old family home, a cottage called Tan-y-Fynwent"
" That's the old name of our cottage! " I told her in surprise " It means Beneath the Graveyard"
The woman was somewhat astonished to find someone who now lives in her ancestral home and was even more surprised when I told her she was welcome to scatter her grandmother's ashes on the field
" You will be watched by two old ewes and a few funny little cockerels but you are more than welcome" I said
She was pleased as punch.
That is special. She'll have a lovely place to rest!
ReplyDeleteWonderful - and yet just a little bit spooky! It's almost as though she was fated to have bumped into you at that moment.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it is a small and cozy world, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThat's rather sweet mr Burton Gray ....rather sweet indeed
ReplyDeleteIt was strange to be sure!
Deleteawwww. may the woman rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteIt is a small world. Nice.
ReplyDeleteUnseen forces at work here, I think.
ReplyDeleteWe had a similar experience in our last home. They wanted to see the home their ancestor lived in and we were happy to show them round. They had the ashes with them but I was mighty pleased they were heading for the river. Our hens were free range and we served our b&b guests their eggs for breakfast. Ashes closely resemble the grit the hens were given to make the egg shells hard......
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful example of synchronicity. My brother-in-law lost his wife several years ago after her long battle with a lung disease of unknown origin. She underwent a double lung transplant, but ultimately it failed and she passed away. A couple of years later he was on a cruise to Alaska to support his son-in-law who was a member of a jazz combo playing onboard. He kept asking himself why he was doing this because he'd taken this cruise once before with his wife. At his table one night was a lovely lady and they really clicked. He found out later her late husband's and his late wife's ashes were both buried in the same tiny cemetery in a tiny out-of-the-way mountain town in the California Sierra Nevada mountains where this lady lived and worked and where his family had had a vacation home. Long story a little shorter--they are now engaged to be married. He's 76 and she's 70.
ReplyDeleteWonderful story.
DeleteI have traveled and backpacked all around the Sierra Nevadas.
The little town here is Graeagle, near Blairsden in Plumas county.
DeleteLovely story. Well done you. X
ReplyDeleteAn interesting coincidence.
ReplyDeleteI don't really care where my ashes are scattered. But I could be really mischievous and say they should be scattered from Sydney Harbour Bridge.
That is a wonderful story. Your meeting was meant to be!
ReplyDeleteIf the ashes had been scattered on "Bosoms", the soil quality of your vegetable plot would have been improved. Of course you would have needed to rake granny in.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely fated to happen.
ReplyDeleteBut, John, I thought your cottage was called Bwythn Y Lan (pardon the spelling.)
wow...that's really something!
ReplyDeleteSo perfect !
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a small world !
Made me smile.
cheers, parsnip
That is a beautiful thing to have read today. Makes me emotional.
ReplyDeleteLovely John! Obviously you were meant to meet.
ReplyDeleteCould there possibly be a nicer person
ReplyDeletethan John Gray..............
Do you mix in bad circles where this wouldn't happen? Here it would. I found the courteous and friendly behaviour that John exhibited quite normal.
DeleteBeing "quite normal" is still a lovely thing to do .. because it might be normal for people to not want ashes scattered on their property also . . I am always touched by kind acts, regardless of how common they are, or not.
DeleteSo am I. I am pleased to know many such people.
DeleteIm bloody lovely i am
DeleteAren't you fucking just
DeleteActually, yes, you are
Deletebloody lovely
Me me me me me x
DeleteActually rachel is more than right......i think most people would have offered her the field! ...nothing nice about it
DeleteRachel is making an important point:
DeleteNamely, that the kind and accommodating are not the exception but the rule. Which doesn't take away anything from John's kindness in this particular case.
My life's experience is such that most people are kind, eager to help. No more so, and possibly surprising, than when a stranger asks.
A year or so ago I ran a "social experiment" as part of the research I do. It was tough titty and took some nerve as I put myself out into an unknown arena.
The result was life affirming. To every fifty people who bend over backwards there is only one you hope bad Karma won't get.
U
What a lovely lovely thing to do ! John, you are the Best ! :)
ReplyDeleteSmall beautiful world and moments. She met just the right person (you).
ReplyDeletewow!!! Your are a very kind person and probably gave her much needed peace
ReplyDeleteNot that kind.. I could have offered her our garden but i know the Prof would have hated the thought of it
DeleteI thought about that too... and you were right to offer the field..
DeleteJo in Auckland, NZ
John, you could not have given that family a kinder gift. To know gran is at peace where she wanted to be. Thanks for sharing the story. Isnt it strange how those that should meet often do meet.
ReplyDeleteThat's nice.
ReplyDeleteHow amazing that you connected like that....the universe moves in mysterious ways.
ReplyDeleteA very small world indeed.
ReplyDeleteA small world indeed, and a lovely gesture by you, John.
ReplyDeleteTwo old whats with funny little whats?
ReplyDeleteJeez...
DeleteNow that was very nice of you . . .
ReplyDeleteYou are A Wonderful World John . . .
How lovely you got to help them. I notice you met Ilona know you would have had a pleasant meet with her.
ReplyDeleteYes, she's quite a character..we were on the way out so couldnt chat for long
DeleteNice to hear. And nice for her. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI am still holding on the the ashes that I was going to scatter about somewhere but I have this thing about scattering them in one place then leaving ... I would feel like I left him behind !
ReplyDeleteSo his ashes come along with me until I can settle down somewhere for good ... or at least a long time.
Maybe in your garden lol...
I don't know if you're familiar with New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, but you might find this interesting.
Deletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/whats-in-roz-chasts-bag-a-new-ending-to-her-best-selling-book/2016/07/31/8f3bac3c-54ce-11e6-b7de-dfe509430c39_story.html?utm_term=.3d73e7d8ee1a
How charming! And yes, it really is a small world.
ReplyDeleteLovely story John.
ReplyDeleteSerendipity. Lovely x
ReplyDeleteAnd the cat will come in tomorrow, having rolled in this fine grey powder,
ReplyDeleteTravel -made me lol
DeleteSometimes life puts us in the right place at the right time.
ReplyDeleteThey can put my ashes in the bin for all I care, but it's nice to know that someones wishes have been carried out.
ReplyDeleteYou're a remarkably kind man, John. Blessings to you for that. And thank you for sharing the story.
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing coincidence! BTW i've read your whole bloody blog this week, minus the film reviews, n WOTD gubbins.I absolutely love your village, n animal stories x
ReplyDeleteETA to add, I meant,TWD, but Daddy just came home,n the dogs jumped on my typing hand :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing coincidence! BTW i've read your whole bloody blog this week, minus the film reviews, n WOTD gubbins.I absolutely love your village, n animal stories x
ReplyDeleteThank you sally x
DeleteVery nice John!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful story!
ReplyDelete