Giving Thanks For My Mum This Thanksgiving Day

In November 2008 having just returned from a trip to Scotland and England, the short dark days, the freezing temperatures and the icy winds blowing down from the arctic circle were a cold, sharp reminder of one of the reasons I love living in Costa Rica.

We love the weather in Costa Rica every day, rainy season or summer.

The trip to Scotland was to see my wonderful old Mum who had been recently diagnosed with cancer of the liver and the pancreas.

Even though I’ve been saying goodbye to my parents since the age of seven when we lived in West Africa and I would fly alone to and from boarding school in Scotland, this final goodbye to my mother was the toughest.

Having studied many different belief systems regarding death and the process of dying, my little brain feels most comfortable with one detailed in Sogyal Rinpoche’s masterpiece: The Tibetan Book of the Living & Dying.

I have bought and given away at least fifty of these books to people who I felt would enjoy them and if money wasn’t an issue, I’d buy a million more copies to give away…

It is one of the most important books in my life and no matter what religion you have been brought up with – or no religion at all – you will find it revealing.

Not to be flippant but we are all dying, it’s just that most of us don’t know when we will die but the more we learn about our inevitable death, the less we will be afraid, and this increased understanding and acceptance also tends to coincide with feeling freer than ever before and we can begin to live life more fully.

If we taught meditation in our schools and started to prepare our children for death – which very young children do not fear anyway – the world would be a much improved place and our lives would be infinitely more fulfilling.

Another gentleman Dr. Ira Byock wrote a brilliant book Dying Well and I remember how stunned I was to discover that all my favourite contemporary classical composers (Arvo Pärt, Henry Gorecki (who died in November 2010) & John Tavener) amongst others were included in the music he recommends for the terminally ill.

It can be a wonderful world and wherever you are on this day of Thanksgiving, I sincerely hope that you have made a decision to enjoy every day of your life, that you have thanked your mother and told her how much you love her.

My magnificent “wee Mom” (she was only five feet tall) Marion Oliver died peacefully in her sleep at 1.15am on Thanksgiving Day 2008 only two short months after being diagnosed with cancer of the liver and cancer of the pancreas.

Mum is no longer in pain and if the smile on her face is anything to go by, she’s already met up with some people that she loves very much ….

Thank you for all your loving, your caring and your laughs, I love you Mum.

Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1: How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 2: Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and 3. ¿Cómo Comprar Bienes Raíces en Costa Rica, Sin Perder Su Camisa?

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.