For those of you who don’t know, I’m Colin, Helen and Brian’s son. Julie has always been a part of my life. What I remember most from when I was younger is the piano. It always sat patiently in the corner of 225 Easter Road and would spring to life whenever she played it. There were always books of music around although I rarely saw her play from them – she just seemed to know all the notes.
In later years there was an empty space where the piano once sat. She could no longer play it. But what I remember most about the last years was a different kind of music that played on. I live three and half thousand miles away in New York City with my family. The distance is vast but it takes only seconds for a picture I post of my daughter Hatty to appear on Facebook and then to be printed out. I know that Julie treasured those pictures and took them with her to show people.
We are, no doubt, an unconventional family that could barely have been imagined when Julie was the age I am today. Yet Julie was one of our most powerful advocates. Once she told us that she carried a picture of J, Hatty and me so she could show people and tell them ‘this is Love’.
Now Julie herself is stilled and we will hear her voice no more. But I will always carry with me her love and so will my family. Her music of love and acceptance will keep on playing.
In later years there was an empty space where the piano once sat. She could no longer play it. But what I remember most about the last years was a different kind of music that played on. I live three and half thousand miles away in New York City with my family. The distance is vast but it takes only seconds for a picture I post of my daughter Hatty to appear on Facebook and then to be printed out. I know that Julie treasured those pictures and took them with her to show people.
We are, no doubt, an unconventional family that could barely have been imagined when Julie was the age I am today. Yet Julie was one of our most powerful advocates. Once she told us that she carried a picture of J, Hatty and me so she could show people and tell them ‘this is Love’.
Now Julie herself is stilled and we will hear her voice no more. But I will always carry with me her love and so will my family. Her music of love and acceptance will keep on playing.
