The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


The Beauty In Sadness …
January 4, 2009, 5:58 pm
Filed under: Comment

Photo: Popinac

Anyone who has read this blog for a period of time knows how much I miss my Father and how I was ripped apart watching him slowly lose his battle with his illness.

Well I’ve just been introduced to a site called Days With My Father [Thanks James] that details the relationship between a man and his dying Father with incredible dignity, intimacy and beauty.

When I read it, I cried … not just because it took me back to the times with my Dad [though his realisation that his Mother had protected him from the worst of his Father’s ailments hit me pretty hard], but because some of his descriptions of his Fathers reactions let me truly understand what my Dad must of been feeling/thinking when he was in a similar situation.

[Whilst obviously his wife – my Mum – is very much alive and well, my Dad’s Mother died while he was in hospital and it was up to my poor Mum to break the news to him. After gently explaining what had happened, Mum saw a single tear slowly journey down my Father’s cheek as he started to comprehend what my Mum had just said to him]

As I said a while back, death should be something we talk about rather than hide from and this site – whilst handling one of the toughest of all subject matters – is one way to realise that even in despair, there are moments of beauty, happiness, joy and laughter.

Thank you Phillip Toledano … you are a special man.


9 Comments so far
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wow.

Comment by lauren

Amazing.

Comment by fredrik sarnblad

this is the same phillip auntie george always said was fucking great when he was at disruption 101.

he was right. this is fucking great stuff and I think the sensitivity of the words might overshadow the fucking majesty of the photographs

for once campbell you bring us a good link

Comment by andy@cynic

That’s the best site I’ve seen in a long time. Thank you for sharing Rob.

Comment by Angus

Brilliant, beautiful and moving.

Comment by Lee Hill

Thanks Andy, I’ve spoken to Phillip and told him how brill his site is. You can tell he’s not in adland any longer because he was humble, gentle and sensitive.

Comment by Rob

i just shot with phil in new york. a super and lovely guy.

Comment by scott

I agree with Andy that his words almost surpass the beauty of his photographs. Simply brilliant.

Comment by Bazza

If anyone in Singapore reads this blog and is touched by Phillip’s work, he is having an exhibition of this project at the Esplanade Tunnel [Esplanade Drive] from the 7th till the 18th January …

Maybe meet you there.

Comment by Robert




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