top of page
PHOTO FOR FRAME.jpg

My inspiration

The handsome gentleman here is my husband, Chris Mawson. I try to remember not to use the term "late."  Iman, wife of David Bowie, said, "People say 'your late husband' and I said 'don't call my husband late. He's not my 'late husband. He's my husband and he'll always be." This is exactly how I feel. I am still very much married. It just so happens that my husband has died. But he is still very much with me.

​

Chris was born in Surrey and raised in Sussex. He always loved beautiful old buildings and the lush landscapes of the South Downs. He married in his early twenties and he and his first wife, Annette, welcomed two wonderful children into the world, Lucy and Olly. One of the first things that attracted me to Chris was his complete and unconditional devotion to his children (who were both more than children when I met them for the first time). That kind of paternal devotion and love was also given to my daughter, Callie. When Callie had our granddaughter, Catherine, all bets were off. You would never be able to convince either Catherine or her "Abba" that they weren't blood relatives. Their love was incredibly strong and she says that she feels his spirit with her often.

​

Chris was an artist at heart, and he finally was able to pursue his calling when we met in 2006. I introduced him to the majesty of Scotland, as he had only experienced the island of Eigg. I even told him on our first date that I intended to move there very soon and he would have to understand that my goal would not be thwarted. Our first Scottish holiday together sealed the deal on all aspects of our relationship. In the early summer of 2007, we moved to our first home in Scotland.  Every free moment was spent exploring Scotland and his camera was always at hand. Prior to his death, he had begun exhibiting at various markets and shows and was very successful. I think, had he not died, his photography would be more widely known. Seen below is a beautiful image he captured of Loch Tay during one of our car journeys around Scotland.

​

We moved to our final destination in 2011, moving to the village of Aultbea in Wester Ross. Our bungalow had a beautiful view of the sea loch, Loch Ewe, and we settled into a very happy and peaceful time. In the autumn of 2014, following visits to the GP, Chris was diagnosed with bowel cancer. He already had been diagnosed with some cardiac issues, wholly anticipated due to family history, so this was another blow to his health. He underwent successful surgery and stuck it out with chemo for all but two sessions at the end. He began to regain his strength and he would take long walks with his camera in hand, or we would drive to some of our favourite spots in the Highlands. Chris remained cancer free for three years. The cancer returned in the autumn of 2017. This time, it was aggressive and deemed terminal. Chris was gracious and kind and never had a moment of bitterness or self-pity. He was amazing. But, I had always thought he was amazing anyway. With the help of Highland Hospice, we were able to get nearly another year of life. Chris left us in September 2018. My heart remains broken.

​

574930_10151225929157408_1584135304_n.jpg

Thank you for visiting My Journey with Grief. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to drop me a line. I would love to hear from you.

Message Sent!

© 2021 My Journey with Grief. All rights reserved.

bottom of page