Homeward bound

Te hokinga mai: the return home.  I remember this phrase from the Te Maori exhibition I went to years ago in Wellington.  The return of Maori taonga (treausures) from around the world to their spiritual home in New Zealand for exhibition.

Mum began her final journey on Saturday when she closed her eyes for the last time and breathed her final breath.  My journey home began again today - Sunday.  It's a journey I never wanted to make and for many years, never believed I would ever make.  Mum has always been there, since before I was born until her final breath.  I guess none of us who have been fortunate to have our mothers with us through to middle-age can ever imagine life without our them.

A new journey lies ahead for all of us - mum, a peaceful journey to her place of rest, me a journey of growth, of learning how to let go, as I learn to live without her.  We've lived on opposite sides of the world for 30 years and whilst we haven't been in each others physical presence very much at all over that time, we've shared plenty of time during our many phone calls.  I'm going to miss those.  I miss them already.  Ostensibly, little will change in my everyday life, but everything will change in me.

This view of Cable Bay north of Nelson is just minutes into the start of the journey that will take me back to mum, to help her to her final resting place.