meg

“Kua hinga te tōtara i Te Waonui-a-Tāne”

a mighty tōtara has fallen in the great forest of Tāne

This week, I lost a dear Recovery friend. Our paths had crossed in that weird time that was covid lockdown, in that weird place that was Twitter… an unlikely time and place, but kindred spirits always seem to find the way…

Meg had been sober since the 70’s. That in itself was no mean feat – sober longer than most of the people I know have been alive. But beyond that, she was an amazing woman. Brave, sassy, wise and kind.

She constantly fought for the underdog; all people were equal in her eyes; and she had no time for the cruel, the bigoted, the racist or any other kind of ‘ist’.

She was generous with her wisdom, and any meeting I was in with her, always left me, and everyone else, in a better place. She guided so many of us, effortlessly and with compassion. But she could give you a quick kick up the jacksy if she thought it was required. I’m not sure if she “lit up every room” – but she certainly had a presence, and I know she commanded respect in every room I was ever in with her.

When she announced, quietly, without fanfare, that this was to be her last battle with cancer, I could feel the ripples of shock and sadness go through my group. You could not have met her, and been untouched by her. And when we received the sad news, this week, of her passing, I saw the true sadness in all of the messages shared amongst us. I hope she felt all that aroha (love) and energy in those last few days.

I know she was much loved in RL; and one of my great sadnesses was that I never got to meet her, to pass on that Recovery Hug. But one day the universe will rectify that.

She was passionate about doing the right thing. What I like to call a kick arse woman. And her bravery in standing up, all the time, for what she believed in, inspired all the women who knew her.

It was this inspiration that found me Knitting “Melt the ICE” beanies for her and my other recovery friends. I know she received hers just a couple of weeks ago – the Universe huh? Always delivering what we all need. That link of threads and stitches joining us together.

Personally, she was a supporter of this blog, and for me to continue to write. She was so happy I had “found my Voice”, and encouraged me to keep using it. She read every blog; Commented on and shared most of them. I always wrote, imagining her reading them. There is a void out there now; one that I feel will remain unfilled

She would not like me, or any of her friends to be maudlin though. So for now, and going forward, I will hold the memories, the laughter (she had a wicked sense of humour), the support and the wisdom. I know, when life gets tricky, I will always think “what would Meg tell me to do?”. And surely that will be her best legacy..

To Meg, may you be sorting out heaven as ferociously as you were sorting things out here…..

Kua whetūrangitia koe e hoa,

you have become a star, my friend