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| Hampton Court RHS Macmillan Garden 2013 |
We pray for the big things and forget to give
thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet not really small) gifts. Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
In this photo the
silhouette of a woman almost disappears into the foliage of the surrounding
plants. The garden, Macmillan
Cancer Support
Legacy Garden
was designed by Rebecca Govier who survived thyroid cancer. The figure looks
down, almost lost. A path winds through a woodland glade and strong
architectural structures.
It reminds me of invisible
illness in all its form. You can’t see pain. You can’t see the way someone makes
an effort while out and about or receives visitors and then collapses afterwards.
You can’t see the loss and confusion of the life the person once had disappear.
There are many long term illnesses and disabilities like this including different types of cancer
and ME.
Today
I want to think about all who have an invisible illness. I give thanks for
everyone who helps to make that illness visible in some way to others - for all
who give time, thought and money, through local groups and national ones, visiting someone,
listening to them, keeping in contact, raising funds for research and support –
THANK YOU!
***
Macmillan Cancer Support has a show garden at RHS Malvern Spring Festival in
May this year. http://press.rhs.org.uk/RHS-Shows/Malvern-Gardening-Shows/Malvern-Gardening-Shows/Press-Releases/Mary-Berry-and-Alan-Titchmarsh-Headline-RHS-Malver.aspx
Invest in ME, a small charity with a large vision, holds their 11th International
ME Conference on 3rd June 2016.
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