My apologies for stopping my blog over two months ago. My mother died in Kenya and I had to go there to sort out her affairs.It was a difficult time emotionally, although my mother died gracefully, of a heart attack, fully aware of what was happening. Spiritually she was completely at peace with the transition she was going through and in many ways I think she was more than ready to continue her spiritual journey to the next level.But for those left behind it is still a struggle. She was an amazing women who had lead a full and very interesting life. Below I have included the eulogy I gave at her memorial service, which was a joyous event, celebrating her life, and what a life it was! The picture on the right was taken from her 80th Birthday as she made her grand entrance, late as usual, but bringing a sparkle to the party. I asked all the ladies who attended the memorial to wear big colorful hats because that was my mother’s signature…they did. Mother would have loved that touch…………. Here is my eulogy: SYLVIA E MACFARLANE 1922-1908
ALL OF US ARE BLESSED WITH MOTHERS BUT NOT ALL OF US GET A SYLVIA .
SHE LEAD A LIFE THAT BLAZONS WITH INDEPENDENCE, COURAGE, APPALLING MISSEPS, AND GREAT TRIUMPHS.SHE WAS PASSIONATE, COMPULSIVE, GENEROUS TO HER FRIENDS, AND LOVED TO PICK FIGHTS WITH THE KENYA LEGAL SYSTEM AND ANYONE WHO CHALLANGED HER STANDARDS.SHE WAS WIFLFULL, ELEGANT AND STYLISH, GRACEFUL TO A FAULT AND ONE OF DEVASTING DANCERS YOU COULD EVER HOPE TO MEET ON THE DANCEFLOOR.
SHE HAD THE MOST ETHEREAL RELATIONSHIP WITH TIME, AS ANYONE WHO LIVED WITH HER OR WENT TO DINNER AT HER HOME CAN ATTEST TO..TIME TO SYLIVA WAS AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HER.
SHE COULD BY HYSTERICALLY FUNNY, UNBELIEVABLEY STUBBORN, TEMPESTOUS, PETUALANT, AND COULD TALK THE HIND LEG OFF A DONKEY. IN FACT HER DONKEY JUST DIED AND I WONDER IF THERE IS MORE TRUTH TO THAT SAYING THAT WE REALISE..
MY MOTHER ON THE PHONE WAS NOT A TASK TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, YOU COULD FORGET ABOUT GETTING A WORD IN EDGWISE. AFTER HALF AN HOUR SHE WOULD PAUSE AND ASK ME “ARE YOU STILL THERE”.I WOULD REPLY “YEP STILL HERE” THEN OFF SHE WOULD GO FOR ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR.SHE WAS PRICELESS…
BUT UNDERNEATH THAT BIG FLOPPY HAT WAS A RAZOR SHARP BRAIN, AND A VERY BIG HEART, WHICH IN THE END FAILED HER, BUT SHE DIED IN HER BED, IN THE HOME THAT SHE ADORED IN A COUNTRY SHE LOVED. SHE LEAVES BEHIND A MASS OF FRIENDS AND GOOD MEMORES, A MASS OF DEBT, AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE CREATED GREAT FAMILIES OF THEIR OWN. DURING MY LAST VISIT SHE EXPRESSED HOW PROUD SHE WAS OF MY ACCOMPLISHEMENTS AND OF SUSANS FAMILY, WHICH IS AMAZINGLY CLOSE AND LOVING.LIKE ALL MEN I TRIED TO DEFLECT THE COMPLIMENT BUT SHE STOPPED ME AND SAID “NO THIS IS IMPORTANT, IT IS NOT EASY, AND YOU HAVE BOTH DONE WELL AND I AM PROUD OF YOU..” I AM GLAD SHE HAD THE CHANCE TO TELL ME AND I AM GLAD SHE MADE ME LISTEN.”
SHE STARTED LIFE ON THE LONDON STAGE AN ACTRESS IN LONDON IN THE 40′S AND PURSUED A LONG CAREER IN KENYA AMATURE DRAMATICS ..SHE WAS IN MI6 DURING THE MALAYAN CRISES IN THE EARLY 50′S AND IN THE MID 50′S SHE WAS IN GERMANY ACTINGS AS THE INTELLIGENCE LIASON FOR THE GENERAL COMANDING THE NORTHERN
SECTION OF THE BAOR. WE CAME TO KENYA IN 1954 AND MOTHER WAS APPOINTED
PRICIPLE SECRETARY TO THE COLONIAL CABINET, AND THEREATER AFTER LEAVING GOVT. SERVICE SHE BECAME SECRETARY TO THE KENYA LEGAL SOCIETY..SHE WAS A NEWS BROADCASTER FOR THE KENYA BROADCASTING CORPORATION, ALONG THE WAY SHE REPRESENTED ENGLAND AT BADMINTAON AND MALAY AND KENYA AT FIELD HOCKEY.
SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE MARKETING MANAGER FOR AN AMERICAN COSMETIC COMPANY IN KENYA AND INTRODUCED THE DOROTHY GREY COSMETIC LINE TO KENYA. SHE BUILT MACUSHLA IN NAIROBI AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE COAST IN THE EARLY 7O’S. SHE BUILT PALM BEACH FIRST AS A HOME, THEN AS A GUEST HOUSE THAT LATER REVERTED TO A PRIVATE HOME..
IT WAS THERE THAT SHE DISCOVERED AND DEVELOPED A GIFT FOR SPIRITUAL HEALING AND I KNOW THIS BROUGHT MUCH COMFORT TO MANY PEOPLE AND TO MY MOTHERS SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
SHE WAS A VISIONARY AND PURCHEASED 20 ACRRES OF DIANI AND OVER THE YEARS SAW UKUNDA GROW INTO THE THRIVING PLACE IT IS TODAY.SHE MARRIED THREE TIMES AND HAD THE ANNOYING HABIT OF NOT KEEPING THE NAME OF HER LAST HUSBAND BUT GOING BACK TO HER FAVORITE HUSBAND..SO THAT TRACKING HER DOCUMENTATION TRAIL IS A NIGHTMARE..
ALONG THE WAY THERE WAS A BEWIERLDERING ARRAY OF MEN, AND SHE DIED WITH JET BLACK HAIR, AND WAS NEVER SEEN OUTSIDE HER HOME WITH HER MAKEUP AND HAT ON.SHE NEVER GAVE UP ON MEN BUT I SUSPECT THEY GAVE UP ON HER.SHE WAS A CHALLENGE TO LIVE WITH.AND WOULD NOT BE CONTROLLED..BY ANYONE..
SHE LIVED AND LOVED BY HER OWN RULES. SHE DRESSED FOR DINNER EVERY NIGHT, AND WAS NEVER ON TIME, EVEN FOR HER OWN MEALS..SHE WAS ONE OF A KIND, AN AMAZING WOMEN, WE WILL MISS HER, WE WILL MISS HER LAUGHTER, HER GIGGLES AND HER SOFT GOODBYES WHEN SHE HAD DOMINATED THE PHONE, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD NO CONCEPT OF WHAT A BUDGET WAS OR IF SHE DID, SHE DID’NT CARE.THAT WAS WAY TOO ETHEREAL CONCEPT AS WELL…SO A TOAST.. TO SYLVIA WHO CONTINUES ON HER SPIRITUAL JOURNEY . COLOURFUL, EXHURBARANT AND VERY, VERY DIFFERENT…
TO SYLVIA…
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