'Depending on the Tide'

Not every Christmas letter comes brimming with positive news about various children's and grandchildren's a talents, or the fantastic holidays enjoyed by those whose children have flown the nest.
Some like the one from a friend in Maine, USA, a sailor of the seas, a lover of the islands of Scotland and a published poet and writer, come with sad news.
She tells us she was diagnosed in June with a horrible cancer, one about which I had never heard before.
She has come through a brutal operation together with the miseries of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to a life changing future, but hopefully a cancer free one.

This is her poignant Christmas poem.