More than good stuff

"It doesn't seem possible that someone like Dad could have died."
Indeed. Actually, I think he just needed some time out. There he is - a little shame-faced, but expecting to be forgiven, as always. An inappropriate joke comes out, we all feel a bit uncomfortable, then fall about laughing as the follow-up is something truly hilarious.

Or not.

Yesterday I
- handed in my last piece of work for the academic year. It was fine (though boring, and I never got really comfortable with it). It was squeezed out by utter necessity, rather than bubbling to the top of a set of thoughts and meanderings and connections and soundbytes, as the best pieces do.
- was enrolled by the Student Dean at the law school in a full course load (up to the max 80 points per semester allowed by uni rules) for both semesters next year
- was persuaded that Summer School would be a bad idea; better to recover physically and emotionally and be flexible for the summer, do some pre-work, and run into Semester 1 with strength and power.

Which means I am almost certain to be granted some kind of pass in 3 of the 4 basic Law II papers I started with this year, leaving just one (that I had deleted from my record earlier when I thought I might possibly die from overload quicker than Gerald) to repeat next year
And the papers include ones I truly wanted to do, including Intellectual Property Law, and especially, Public International Law and International Human Rights. !!!

I think that is called a "result", which is odd, as abject and complete failure is equally a result.
At any rate, none of the transitionary trials have gotten easier BUT I now know what I will be doing next year, and am more than happy with what that is.

So, who's fault is all this good stuff?
No-one's really, as always: it is a gift - call it good luck (the Bible does), serendipity, karma, answer to prayer, the tide coming in ...

But many people have influenced this result:
- Alex and Sophie, patient with my being away working, walking, thinking, at the library, distracted ... and almost never complaining about that (probably relieved to have my attention diverted :-))
- Gerald. Thankyou. Are you pleased? Do you think I'll end up involved in nation-state conflict resolution? You would say yes, I know - and be scared that I'd be away from home too much.
- Andrew, Michael, Jenny, and Gerald's whole home group for not only ongoing support, rostered caring shifts, help with meals but the wonderful spearheading of the funeral organisation by Michael
- St Cuthberts Parents and Friends: for meals and baking for what probably ended up at least 10 weeks, I lost count to avoid feeling further embarrassed, and learnt to accept yet another "present" that tipped the balance in favour of coping.
- Mum. She knows.
- heck, can I continue this list another time?

I hope some West Coast miner's wife has a moment of joy about her emerging new life today, amidst the disbelief and bewilderment.

L