Remembering

Today was All Hallows’ Day. In the long ago, it was the day when the Christian church commemorated its many martyrs. They would know it more as All Saints’ Day. The Church of Sweden, though, has made it about remembering the dearly departed, devout or not, saintly or not, generally related. Though not always.

All Hallows’ Day here in Sweden is commemorated on the Saturday between October 31 and November 6. This year, the Saturday was on November 1. So, perfect, really.

Obviously, I don’t know any deceased persons here in Sweden (ignoring Inge, of course), so I remember the people I have held near and dear from both Australia and England.

Of course, our mums and dads are always in our thoughts. But especially today. Looking back over my blog posts, I love coming across comments which they have made. It makes it feel they are still around, somewhere, even digitally. Like a photo, only better.

Family aside, there are three people I knew who died too early, who I remember from our time in England.

Bill was a very good friend of Nicktor’s. They met many years ago and spent a lot of time on the Slab, watching Aldershot get beaten most weekends in the football season. That’s where I met Bill and instantly took to him.

He was a lovely chap and the only road furniture designer I have ever met. We often joked in the car, going to football games, about the best kind of roundabouts and pedestrian refuges. We even bored Nicktor once by discussing containerisation.

The Slabbers put a plaque on the railing where Bill used to stand to watch the football. I hope it’s still there. That way he can live on in some memories and, perhaps, when people ask who he was, someone will be able to tell them.

Then Ben, who worked with Mirinda. Her work husband, they said. A lovely man with a young family and a wife who was the most amazing cook.

And, of course, there’s Darren. A friend with a pain he wouldn’t share.

I miss all of them. All I have are memories, and they get replayed often.

Nicoline popped around today and I asked if it was weird to put a candle on a grave when you didn’t know the person on the stone. I asked because I intended to put one on Inge’s grave this afternoon. Nicoline said she would have no problem with a stranger putting a candle on her grave.

I thought this made perfect sense. And so I did.

Mine wasn’t the only one.

PS: The total is still rising. I had 1,496 views today. I think something is reading everything on the blog. I wonder if this is happening all over the Internet? Is it AI? No doubt.