Tuesday 25 November 2008

Remembering Goldie

It has been ridiculously busy here for the past little while. Sick children, celebrations, painful legal bits and pieces and stressed out small child begging "Mummy not go more meetings". Today I sent both girls to school secure in the knowledge that I, and only I, will be here when they get home. This is needed. This afternoon I shall be up to my elbows in puzzle pieces, dealing with bogeys, encouraging a reluctant one to eat. But for now, just for now, I have a two hour window of peace. Time to process the last few days.

And with the time comes thoughts - and now I need to remember Goldie. I need to remember the girl I knew, the child I loved, bring back memories of the years she lived with me, concentrate on the joy not the atrocities of her last few days.

I remember the first time I met her. She was living in a Children's Home, and as I sat in a formal meeting room she was wheeled in to me. I had been caring for much smaller children, so at 11 she looked huge to me. She sat in her wheelchair, grabbed my hand, and asked me to "Sing a Rainbow".


I am remembering
Little Arabella Millar
Found a hairy caterpillar
First it crawled upon her mother,
Then upon her baby brother.
"Oh," said Arabella Millar
"Take away that caterpillar".

And I remember "What day is it today, what day, what day what day?".

And "Bum bum BUMPING"

And being woken in the night by Goldie shouting for me, walking into her bedroom and asking why she needed me, to be told "You put your left leg in, left leg out, in out out out shake it all about, OOOOOhhhhhhhh oh the Hokey Cokey!" and then watch as she rolled over and pulled the duvet back over her head happy to have shared her song.

I remember that she could spot a chocolate button on a brown table at 100 paces, but she couldn't see her face in a photograph.

I remember the feel of her fingers as she grabbed out whenever I walked past her, and walked her hands up my arm to feel my lips.

I remember "she's um pooorly" when she would refuse to get out of bed, and I remember night after night when she was far too happy to go to sleep.

I remember lying in a tent listening to her fizz with excitement as the wind made the canvas flap. And I remember her being totally unmoved by the splendours of some of our holidays, preferring to focus on her musical ball and her Elmo. And I remember the wonder on her face when we went to Disney World, and Pooh and Piglet and Tigger came to say hello as we were eating.

I remember her ability to punt herself up and down the shower bench, and her ability to send tidal waves over the edge of the bathtub. I remember the weight of her when I lifted her into bed, and the feel of her when she bounced on my knees, and the cold wetness of her fingers when she shared her dribble and the loving kindness of her search for contact.

I remember her anarchic ability to tell stories in silent spaces, to shout "come on AMEN" in church and demand to go home. I remember her squeaks and her shrieks and have echoes of her voice playing over in my mind.

Goldie didn't do anything especially amazing with her life. She didn't acheive anything heroic with her death. She just lived a fairly good but ultimately boringly ordinary life and then died in a mundane and unnecessary accident.

But I remember.
Tia

Tia

6 comments:

Michelle said...

Tia, Thank you for sharing Goldie with us.

Michelle & girls in WA USA

Anonymous said...

I remimber her beautiful gold red curly hair, the songs she sang with gusto and her beautiful smile. I miss her and am so glad when you mention her and remind us of some of her fun things to do.
Having lost Amber tragically I can relate. However, what you went through was so much more complicated and so much out of your control. I am so glad Goldie had come to live with you where you loved her fully and kept her safe for as long as you could. Thank you so much . I will be praying for you.
Virginia

Courtney Cookson said...

the teacher at my school placement read the billy goats gruff today. made me think of goldie, and how every one was the ugly troll when she was in one of her grumpy moods!

i will always remember her, remember shes partying with Jesus now, and i bet there is chocolate buttons and pizza in abundance!

say hi to the beautiful girls for me
c xxxxx

Anonymous said...

Thank the Lord for memories-even though they bring tears to our eyes and leave an ache in our heart. Thoughts and memories of Carlos are oh so special here.
Thanks for being so willing to open up and share your heart.

Debra

Robyn said...

i laughed and cried at some of your memories...like i do at some of the few i have of her. what a wonderful legacy she has left.
in my thoughts..xxx

Anonymous said...

Have been thinking of you all over the past week.

It is nice to remember the good times along with the not so good.

Goldie will be looking down now and wondering what all the fuss was about, and giving you the strength to carry on giving the best to the two bundles of fun that are with you now.

Peter

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