The final walk

The final walk

In my last meditation I spoke of the unity within my family: Ralph, myself and Harvey, our dog, who meant so much to Ralph. Ralph had had a very difficult year, with lots of bouts of infection and trips to hospital, becoming more and more fatigued and weakened by the whole process.

Ralph told me he was tired of life. When his speech really failed I knew that the end was near. I watched – feeling desperate, desolate, helpless and hopeless. Where had the hope gone? What was God trying to say to us? We had walked the walk of progressive, long-term illness together, and mutually carried the cross. Every piece of indignity that the illness gave to Ralph I felt too. Every time he was a step further down the terminal road, I bore it with him. And it was our own personal crucifixion...