Yesterday I travelled to Sunshine Beach to scatter some of M’s ashes into the sea. I hadn’t planned on doing this. We were such itinerants that no one place seemed to be “our place” so I had organised to send half of his ashes to his daughters in Melbourne and half to his family in Edinburgh (his eldest brother now lives in the house that Michael’s parents lived in, way up north). It seemed fitting that he should be left amongst family. But then last time I went to Noosa I realised how much the beach meant to both of us. How much we enjoyed walks along the beach and the utter delight of jumping waves. Mesmerised by sea and sky there was a tranquility in walking, not really talking, just walking and enjoying. Always commenting on how gorgeous the place was. God’s own place.
So it seemed fitting that I should take some of Michael’s ashes and scatter them amongst the waves in that place we so enjoyed. No ceremony, just me and the waves. I then wrote Michael’s name in the sand and scattered the very last bits of him over and then sat and watched as the waves lapped closer and then took him away.
tania j layden 