[Bill Douglas]

I thought it was very odd when I was a child sitting with my grandparents one morning as they read the newspaper. My grandad reading the deaths section said in a voice that I can't quite explain, definitely not sad, but also not happy "Mavis has died." My grandmother said in a flat tone "Mavis?" as she read her section of the newspaper. Grandad replied "Mavis married to Jack!" Granmother "Oh Mavis" and talked about Mavis not in a manner that she'd just won lotto, but not upset either. at eight years old I was pretty upset and I hadn't even met Mavis.

It took me forty something years, I guess, but now I know that when people have completed their full cycle of life they are a lot more relaxed about passing on.