I wrote this in October, 2007, the day before my surgery.
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This is turning into a bit of an emotional roller-coaster !
Over the years I, like many others, have experienced both euphoria and black despair.
The chest-swelling pride of fatherhood; a feeling that I still can't adequately describe.
The loss, at 22, of my god-daughter Jo. Trying to reconcile that with
the existance of a deity left me bereft of feelings for weeks.
I suppose, in an effort to protect myself, I have consciously sacrificed
the lofty peaks of euphoria. This, in turn, has enabled me to avoid the
bleak, emotionally barren troughs of hopeless depression.
It's a fair trade which leaves me with a manageable 'ripple' that runs
pleasantly through my Life. I miss the 'Highs' occasionally, but not enough to put up with the 'Lows' ! That's all about to change . . .
It seems that I must now dust off the rusty armour, put a keen edge on
my dull blade and summon the support of my distant ancestors in order to
face down the coming day.
"Nemo me impune lacessit"
