Loss

When we discovered that a thief had come in and stolen our laptop last week, it took the wind out of us as a family. Unbacked up, 1000s of family photos simply disappeared, with no chance of a return. Holidays, births, treasured moments, all gone. It felt like a real bereavement - similar to the strange feeling we had earlier in the year when Clara soul mate teddy bear got left on a train.

No wonder Buddhists try to practice detachment! Attachment to things and memories can be a real problem.

The real love shown to us by others since the theft has been a real comfort - people have sent their own pictures of our beautiful children, and one friend has even helped by backing up all the remaining info and piccies we had on other computers.

Lessons have been learnt, but what I really need to do right now is to find ways of enjoying the present with my wife, family and friends, and not to rely on all that is of the past. Loss needs us to face up to what we have left.