From Chris Nye

csnye@hotmail.co.uk

I am still finding it very hard coping with my loss. I think that as you get older you see that life is truly Bitter/Sweet.....It is not just one thing or the other, its the whole package, joy can be followed by sadness and vice versa...... If Lin were alive today she would be so happy, celebrating the birth of her first Grandson Ezra.

At times I find it so sad that Lin will not continue to see her children and grandchildren develop, and so sad that they will not have Lin's wise counsel and loving support in the years to come.

Given time I know that a lot of the issues that can be upsetting now, people and events that are outside of my control will not quite have the same impact. 

Events like watching someone you love, suffer and deteriorate from an illness, watching their strength, knowledge and wisdom just ebb away.

When Lin died it all seemed such a waste..... Her skills and understanding, her loving spirit, the person.....Gone!

Of course I knew that it was my personal loss that was clouding my judgement...... I know that there are so many people (including myself) who can thank Lin for their personal development. We have all acquired skills, knowledge and understanding through working with her, we know that she lives on because her loving example has changed us for the better in so many ways. 

What more could she do when she has achieved so much? What more could she give when she had given so much?

Lin took up the batten many years ago to make the part of the world that she inhabited a better place (through her teaching and student behavior support work in particular) and succeeded!

Thankfully there are so many other good people (in all walks of life) doing the best that they can for their families. Working hard for their communities. Showing the way!

I know that this may sound daft but I sometimes wish I could have bottled the essence that was linny so that a little could be sprinkled on the people you see that so desperately need it.

I know i'm biased but I feel that we have lost a truly good person, a real loss to humanity. I honestly feel that the world is a much emptier place even though just one little Linny has left it.

I found my time with Lin to be a humbling experience. To me Lin seemed to be on a mission (though never loosing sight of the bigger picture and her place in it) She had no time for cliques, gossip, negativity or triviality. This could make her look a little stand offish at times, but that is so wrong. Lin was a genuinely warm and caring person. 

Throughout her life she trod her own (sometimes lonely) path with dignity, she faced up to the tough decisions with courage, and even towards the end her determination, inner strength and grace rarely faltered.

As I said earlier a lot of the bad stuff surrounding the end of Lin's life, events that where out of our control, feelings.... you can spin them around in your head a thousand times and not change a thing! 

I believe that given time you can put most of the bad stuff away (like in a room), you can go in from time to time, look at the stuff, think about it a little, then leave the room (you don't have to stay long).  It is good to know that it is there, it is our life experience, it is what makes us who we are.

The biggest problem for me now is my personal loss. My wife, mate, best friend......... Gone!

How do you cope with the loss, the emptiness, not loneliness but feeling so alone???

All that I know is that in the 15 years we had together I would not change a second of it!  we had so many wonderful moments, and the awful times that came later on only made our love stronger.

I suppose you can say that if you have nothing, then you can loose nothing.

But I truly feel that I have lost so much that I must have had such a beautiful friend in Linny!

I believe that a miracle is not something that you pray for, or want to happen.... for me the fact that we found each other and had those years together and the realisation that what we had was so wonderful, so special..... Is the miracle!

Lin and I where/are strong individuals in many ways, but we both knew that when we were together our love and understanding made our lives so joyful. So complete.

Lin's Legacy to the world are two children and four grandchildren (their roads lay ahead) Her work with emotionally disturbed and disaffected children. The countless lives that were turned around by Lin's intervention, and not forgetting the support, understanding and joy that Lin brought into the lives of so many. The truest of friends.... my Dear Linny