Now, I wouldn’t go too far and say that I am the best author in the world, but I think I can have a way with words that resonate with people. Just the Two of Us was first written as a poem! I know shock-horror. It was written in a moment of downtime at work.
I am not entirely too sure what inspired me to write it. It may have been the fact of working in a hospital and knowing that time cannot be recuperated, learning that we need to love each other now rather than later. Using the environment and stories I had heard of being ‘too late’ or wishing for the chance to tell someone how much you loved them. The poem was born.
In doing so, I started to reflect on the moments in my life to which I wished these things also. I would guestimate that the poem was written shortly after the passing of my Nan in 2019. Losing someone you love is never easy. I took comfort in the words of care she would tell me, such as ‘You have made my day’ and her undying support of everything I did. The poem is sort of a love letter of the times I know my Grandparents gave to me.
The angst to travel came from the trips we would go on as a family.
I live in the UK, and we’re never short of day trips and places to visit. My Nan and Grandad took me and my family on various trips to Skegness, Blackpool, Thorpe Park, South-End on Sea etc. Taking this time to reflect has shown me how grateful I am to have family members who cared so deeply for me and as a child, I didn’t know how to express these feelings. I always knew how much they meant to me but didn’t entirely vocalise it.
As a child, I don’t think we always remember what was done for us and after the birth of my niece and nephew, I was not entirely sure either. Countless hours of lack of sleep, stress, emotional turmoil and love are given to us, yet as a newborn baby, we do not get to see it. The care it takes to look after and nurture a baby is incredibly high. I have always heard people telling me that being a parent wasn’t easy, but now as an adult, seeing it right in front of me for the past year has shown me how true this is.
The love, attention and care provided in these delicate times highlighted the love I want to return to my family. I like to think that this book is a reflection of myself and my family members who cared for me even though now with the passing of both my Grandparents, I know that they saw potential in me and loved me dearly to an extent I may never know.
Once the poem was written, I read it to my mum. My mum loved it and thought it was a book. This was the first time the book scenario had become a thought in my head, for me, I just saw it as a poem. I then – as you do – posted it in the family group chat to which it was widely accepted and the idea of a book was brought up - again. The idea died for about 2 years, and I didn’t give it any more thought until I went through my phone and saw it again.
I saw the potential and decided this was the route to go down.