When my mother was dying, she in Adelaide and we in Canberra (a two-day drive away), we visited, and when we were leaving I kissed her and made some remark about seeing her soon, yet I knew in my heart it would be the last time I'd see her.

I got to the bottom of her street and the tears flowed. When I got home, I wrote a long letter to her in which I talked about all the wonderful things I remembered about her as a mother. It was heartfelt and truthful. She was a pretty amazing woman.

She loved it, and shared it with her sister who had come to visit. I'm so glad I did write. She died only a few weeks later.