Dear Abigail: A letter to a little granddaughter

by Richard Rees

Richard and Rachel fell in love as teenagers and married at twenty-one. Both had survived childhoods marred by adversity and early deaths. Richard trained as an accountant, and they had two beautiful children and a lovely home. Then, the ovarian cancer that ran in Rachel’s family struck, and she was gone without seeing her children marry or holding her grandchildren. Given the family history, their daughter Carys was advised to have frequent screenings and to marry and have children early, followed by a hysterectomy. Following her marriage and during her pregnancy, she too was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She gave birth to Abigail, but didn’t live to see her baby’s second birthday. As to little Abigail, it’s a story that’s all too grandparents are usually separated from grandchildren by divorce, but sometimes it’s by death and remarriage. And so Richard, husband, father and grandfather, wrote this book so his granddaughter would understand the laughter and joy and closeness of the good times – and he wanted her to know about her real mother and how much she was loved and wanted. Sitting in his study, alone with his thoughts, a man starts to write a letter to his little granddaughter. Why? Because he wants her to understand, when she gets older, who her mother was, and how much she sacrificed. It is a harrowing story, but it is also a great “love story” and, in places, humorous. A story of hopes and fears, courage in the face of adversity, disappointments and setbacks, and ultimately, the calm and dignified acceptance that what will be, will be. But as Richard Rees’s story of his daughter unfolds, the reader realises with something nearing dread, that there is an earlier history, a previous parallel which must be understood to be overcome. The resulting letter, Dear Abigail, is both heart-rending and tender by turn, and also an act of healing; an attempt to find meaning in an apparently godless universe, that leads, ultimately, to faith through a miracle of daffodils. But above all. it is an account of what it means to be human. - Mark Brittain, Daily Post

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2014

About the author

Richard Rees is originally from Wrexham, North Wales, where he had an Accountancy practice, but became a writer after the deaths of his young wife, Richenda, then his only daughter, Elisabeth, from ovarian cancer. He now lives a quiet life in the seaside town of Llandudno, at the foot of the Snowdonia National Park, doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and so sounds a bit of a bore, but is gregarious, keeps fit, swims, drives fast and doesn’t play golf.

my website is: www.richardhrees.com

Reviews

[Richard Rees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Abigail: A letter to a little granddaughter (Kindle Edition)

***** Review by “Whistlers Mom” – December 28, 2014

"Your son's your son 'til he takes him a wife. Your daughter's your daughter all of her life." (Quote, author unknown)

But what if "all of her life" is all too short?

This author and his wife fell in love as teenagers and insisted (against parental opposition) on marrying at twenty-one. Like many of their generation, their childhoods were marred by poverty and early death. Wales was poor and mining and other available jobs were dangerous and unhealthy. Some managed to remain cheerful and loving; others were embittered by the harshness of their lives.

Richard trained as an accountant - not his first choice, but an easy, well-paid profession compared to many. They had two beautiful children and a lovely home. Then the ovarian cancer that ran in Rachel's family struck again and she was dead without being able to see her children marry or hold her grandchildren. Because of the family history, her daughter Carys was at high risk for the same cancer. She was advised to be screened frequently and to marry and have children early, followed by a hysterectomy. She did fall in love and marry, but during her pregnancy she, too was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She gave birth to Abigail, but didn't live to see her baby's second birthday.

As to little Abigail, it's a story that's all too common now. Most of the time, grandparents are separated from grandchildren by divorce, but sometimes it's by death and remarriage. And so the grandfather who has been struck three mortal blows wrote this book for his granddaughter. He wants her to understand the laughter and joy and closeness of the happy times. He wants to explain his visceral need to protect his only daughter from harm and the pain of learning that he was powerless to do so. He wants her to know how much she was loved and wanted.

Ironically, I almost stopped reading after the first pages of DEAR ABIGAIL, which I found cloying and overly sentimental. I'm so glad I kept reading because it turned out to be a beautiful, honest, funny, gut-wrenching book. This author has published several novels and he's a good writer. Even if he couldn't tell his story in such wonderful, lyrical prose, it would still be a great story. It's a reminder to all of us of the fragility of life. It's a testament to the power of love and the MEMORY of love in the face of even the greatest tragedies.

[Whistler's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Your son's your son 'til he takes him a wife. Your daughter's your daughter all of her life." But what if "all of her life" is all too short?

This author and his wife fell in love as teenagers and insisted (against parental opposition) on marrying at twenty-one. Like many in their generation, their childhoods were marred by poverty and early death. Wales was poor and mining and other available jobs were dangerous and unhealthy. Some managed to remain cheerful and loving; others were embittered by the harshness of their lives.

Richard trained as an accountant - not his first choice, but an easy, well-paid profession compared to many. They had two beautiful children and a lovely home. Then the ovarian cancer that ran in Rachel's family struck again and she was dead without being able to see her children marry or hold her grandchildren. Because of the family history, her daughter Carys was at high risk for the same cancer. She was advised to be screened frequently and to marry and have children early, followed by a hysterectomy. She did fall in love and marry, but during her pregnancy she, too was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She gave birth to Abigail, but didn't live to see her baby's second birthday.

As to little Abigail, it's a story that's all too common now. Most of the time, grandparents are separated from grandchildren by divorce, but sometimes it's by death and remarriage. And so the grandfather who has been struck three mortal blows wrote this book for his granddaughter. He wants her to understand the laughter and joy and closeness of the happy times. He wants to explain his visceral need to protect his only daughter from harm and the pain of learning that he was powerless to do so. He wants her to know how much she was loved and wanted.

Ironically, I almost stopped reading after the first pages of DEAR ABIGAIL, which I found cloying and overly sentimental. I'm so glad I kept reading because it turned out to be a beautiful, honest, funny, gut-wrenching book. This author has published several novels and he's a good writer. Even if he couldn't tell his story in such wonderful, lyrical prose, it would still be a great story. It's a reminder to all of us of the fragility of life. It's a testament to the power of love and the MEMORY of love in the face of even the greatest tragedies.