14 Comments
User's avatar
Amba's avatar

This is such a mixture of the lightness and sticky sweetness of love, to the harder parts and realities of life. The way you are, and the way you write is so present and alive. What a beautiful, sad, and soulful moment you hold. Thank you for sharing this with us.

Expand full comment
Rachel ORiordan's avatar

Thanks Amba for reading and this beautiful comment

Expand full comment
Piata Wormald's avatar

My birthday was on Easter Sunday and we’ve also had 3 months of birthdays and anniversaries. I’m looking forward to May which feels lighter because although these birthdays carry joy they also trigger deep emotions of loss.

On Good Friday we visited my late husband’s family and his dad who is now in a care home. We lost Ute his mum last summer. His brother is clearing out their house so we returned home with photos, a soft toy hippo and stool that John made at school as a child and also several photos of similar birthday cakes. John’s mum enjoyed baking these for several years for my daughter as well as a Yoda cake and several other superhero characters for my son.

We had a good laugh reminiscing about Ute’s cake making. Your post therefore really touched me too. Xx

Expand full comment
Rachel ORiordan's avatar

Thanks for sharing Piata. These anniversaries are a lot. So I'm glad you could laugh. The cakes sounds wonderful.

Expand full comment
Piata Wormald's avatar

There’s a whole collection of them. I wish I could send the photos on here of them all but can’t 😂

Expand full comment
Sim's avatar

Beautifully arranged collection of words (spells) here Rae. I was there with you all, both then and in this 'present' (a birthday link here too) moment in time. Emotionally present in your gift of word smith magic my beautiful friend. Love to you three. The trinity of timeless creation from all that has been and all that will be 💛

Expand full comment
Rea de Miranda's avatar

This is simply beautiful. I love the cakes! 💞

Expand full comment
Rachel ORiordan's avatar

Thank you so much for reading. Food is such an emotional space. And you can never have too much cake.

Expand full comment
Rea de Miranda's avatar

Never enough cake. 😊

Expand full comment
Lisa Blume's avatar

I can taste the sweetness in the poignant piece. I miss James now too, but sense him in all of you through this. Amazing.

Expand full comment
Rachel ORiordan's avatar

Thanks so much for reading. He is sooo missed.

Expand full comment
Polly Cziok's avatar

Love this piece. And both cakes. X

Expand full comment
Esther Stanway-Williams's avatar

Do you know how keenly I await your posts?! I breathe them in, because they speak of what is real, and what is true, and what needs to felt. Thank you…I have restacked because this stuff matters.

Expand full comment
Rachel ORiordan's avatar

Thanks so much Esther. What a gorgeous thing to write to me. Writing the feelings, as we both know, helps towards understanding them. Trying to get to the truth!

Expand full comment