The Olympics has been amazing, and I've really enjoyed it, far more than I thought I would. I adored the bonkers closing ceremony too, but once Brasil had safely taken possession of the Olympic flag I went to bed. I missed the appearance of Take That.
Now I have to say I am not a fan. In the 1990's I was listening to indie on JJJ in Australia and they just weren't on my radar at all. When they reformed I was amazed at my friends going weak at the knees and fighting for tickets to concerts!
When Joseph was in hospital I had a collection of songs on my iPod that I had downloaded. I was expressing one morning and this song came on.
(Note: this footage is NOT from the Olympic Closing ceremony)
Without realising, I had tears streaming down my cheeks and then started to sob, it hit a nerve, and now every time I hear it, its like a Pavlovian response. That song, I know, means a lot to people who have lost babies, or have had premature babies. It resonates.
On Sunday night Take That performed that song. Speculation had been rife that Take That would not appear, as Gary Barlow and his wife Dawn had sadly lost their baby Poppy, stillborn, in the week prior to the ceremony.
As can be expected there have been some snide comments on the internet and some, that quite frankly if they appeared any other media would be libellous, about how its a contrived performance to help secure Gary's knighthood, how he put money before his family (the fact that the acts weren't paid for their performance seems to have passed the hairy trolls by)
No one has put it better than Jason Manford about these sad bastards with nothing better to do than pour hate onto somoneone's grief.
But, and here lies the point of this post, there is more than one way to grieve. I've now watched Gary's performance on that night with Take That (with tissues). I think, personally, it's clear he was singing that song for his wife, for Poppy and his children, his mind wasn't on the Olympics, it was on them. What better tribute for Poppy, his beloved daughter, than singing in front of a world audience.
Grieving is an intensely personal experience. Some people need to curl in a corner, stay in bed, hide away. For others getting out there, keeping on going, is helpful and what they need to do to make sense of what has happened.
Like it or not, Gary Barlow and Take That are national treasures. He did what he had to do and did it well, with grace.
My only little nagging concern is that sometimes we have such a "keep calm and carry on" mentality that emotions are suppressed, grieving doesn't take place fully, and then there's pressure, especially on men, that they should just shelve it all and get back to work.
There is, most definitely, more than one way to grieve, and for those supporting those that grieve, our role is to nurture, to understand, to empathise and support.
Haters are going to hate I suppose, but we are seeing too much of this.
And it has to stop.
Now I have to say I am not a fan. In the 1990's I was listening to indie on JJJ in Australia and they just weren't on my radar at all. When they reformed I was amazed at my friends going weak at the knees and fighting for tickets to concerts!
When Joseph was in hospital I had a collection of songs on my iPod that I had downloaded. I was expressing one morning and this song came on.
(Note: this footage is NOT from the Olympic Closing ceremony)
On Sunday night Take That performed that song. Speculation had been rife that Take That would not appear, as Gary Barlow and his wife Dawn had sadly lost their baby Poppy, stillborn, in the week prior to the ceremony.
As can be expected there have been some snide comments on the internet and some, that quite frankly if they appeared any other media would be libellous, about how its a contrived performance to help secure Gary's knighthood, how he put money before his family (the fact that the acts weren't paid for their performance seems to have passed the hairy trolls by)
No one has put it better than Jason Manford about these sad bastards with nothing better to do than pour hate onto somoneone's grief.
But, and here lies the point of this post, there is more than one way to grieve. I've now watched Gary's performance on that night with Take That (with tissues). I think, personally, it's clear he was singing that song for his wife, for Poppy and his children, his mind wasn't on the Olympics, it was on them. What better tribute for Poppy, his beloved daughter, than singing in front of a world audience.
Grieving is an intensely personal experience. Some people need to curl in a corner, stay in bed, hide away. For others getting out there, keeping on going, is helpful and what they need to do to make sense of what has happened.
Like it or not, Gary Barlow and Take That are national treasures. He did what he had to do and did it well, with grace.
My only little nagging concern is that sometimes we have such a "keep calm and carry on" mentality that emotions are suppressed, grieving doesn't take place fully, and then there's pressure, especially on men, that they should just shelve it all and get back to work.
There is, most definitely, more than one way to grieve, and for those supporting those that grieve, our role is to nurture, to understand, to empathise and support.
Haters are going to hate I suppose, but we are seeing too much of this.
And it has to stop.
