Never Be Afraid To Be Yourself...

Reading back over some past posts of mine I found the words that my Mum had written in a card that she gave me the very last time that I saw her, the day that I came to live in Brasil.
It was from the post "Scenes From Another Room: My Story - Part 2"
She wrote the card as I was sleeping the very last night that we spent together in London. She hadn't been able to sleep and spent almost all night in the kitchen thinking, crying and writing these words to me:

My Beautiful Darling Son,
This week has been the worst week of my life, knowing that I am losing you. I've tried to hide it from you as I didn't want to spoil our last week together. Go and live your life and always be happy, the way that I have seen you these past few months. Travel as much as you can and see the world and then when you write home and tell me all about it I will live through your eyes and see everything that you have seen. I can't tell you how blessed I feel to have a Son as wonderful as you, as loving as you, as thoughtful and kind as you are.
Always follow your dreams, anything you want to do just do it because too much time is spent in life thinking about whether or not we should do something and worrying about what other people think, so never be afraid to be yourself...
I've put three thousand pounds in this card so that you have some money to fall back on should you need it, but if times are ever hard out there let us know and we will send you some more. I love you, I love you, I love you! and see you next Christmas!
All my love, Mum xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That time was terrible for both of us and I can say without a doubt in my mind that it was the hardest thing about coming to live here, knowing that I would be far from my Mother who was always the biggest inspiration in my life, my biggest support, and never in a million years would I have imagined that only one year later she would be gone from my life forever.

But reading those words of her's again now she reminds me why I have always sought happiness in my life.... it has always been my Mother who has given me the inspiration to seek happiness, to grasp opportunities to be happy and to live my life every single day.
So I don't feel sad when I read her beautiful words to me.... I smile.
I feel extremely lucky and blessed to have had an extremely loving and modern Mother who showed me so much love every single day of my life, who supported me through good times and bad times, and taught me that all kinds of love are important in this world and that nobody has anything to be ashamed of; if they love somebody of the same sex, of a different colour or religion... She always said "Love is love in any language, no matter what"

She was, and still is, so important to me in my life that I know that she is always still around, I feel her around me so often, and there's no doubt that she is smiling for me now in this extremely happy and joyful new beginning in my life!

I love you forever Mum! Walk by my side always and whenever I need you I will reach out to hold your hand...