Dear Madeline

Dear Madeline,

If I was half the person you are I would stay with you through this. But, even though it shames me to admit it, I’m just not that strong, and I’m leaving.

The sun rose over a dark land when I met you. Do you remember how nervous I was? My cheeks are glowing now thinking of it. I managed to pour water all over your summer dress. You just laughed, your twinkly tinkly laugh, and that was the exact moment I fell in love with you.

You reached into my miserable life and dragged me into a new world so vibrant and so full of energy. You were rain and I was the desert. You taught me how to laugh again, how to cry again.

And you never gave up on life and I admire you so much for that.

The past five years have been heaven for me. My only mistake was not marrying you - I thought we had more time.

I used to think that leukaemia was kids cancer; how wrong I was. The results came through this morning and you are a match. But I can’t put you through that. You deserve to be with someone well, someone you can have children and grow old with.

I love you Madeline.

I will always love you.