Belsay Monks

Peace and serenity to start every day.
On top of a hill of Northumberland in a place called Belsay.
The Monastery lies secluded undisturbed; almost.
They go about their business without a sound, busying themselves in the vast gardens,
Getting ready for prayers, everything is so clean; nothing out of place; welcoming.

It was indeed a sad day the first visit I had in this beautiful place of warmth, peace and serenity.

The monks had been brilliant and kind; oh ever so kind and sincere when a family member had been taken into hospital to live his final hours of life.
You see the monks had taken 'Alan' under their wings after the accident on what should have been a celebration of his parents Anniversary. A day they indeed were never to forget. 'Alan' had been driving along the road when a truck veered off the road and collided straight into his car; a head on collision, crushing the front of the car as if it had been in a crushing machine.

How he survived nobody knows. Every bone in his face was broken except foe one eye socket; he was unrecognisable; even to his family. He had numerous operations to give him back a face; even if not recognised as he was before. Life for him and his family was going to be very different from what it had been before. The monks visited the family every day he lay in that hospital bed, supporting also his family with all their kind words and prayers; almost ghostly. They had a calming effect, an aura about them, casting a spell of peacefulness of the horror that lay in that bed.

After a few weeks 'Alan' did leave hospital, but family life was never going to be the same again. He stayed with the monks who helped him through this terrible time. He found peace there. It was a place he could be where no-one cared what any-one looked like; he was undisturbed tending to the gardens and losing himself in his prayers where he found he was most at peace. However disaster struck again (after 2 years) when he was diagnosed with cancer of the throat. He and his family were devastated. He was again taken into hospital and this time his voice box was taken out and replaced with something I do not know the name of but I can only describe as A robot; like Christopher Reeve. He lived for a few short months after that before he was taken away; this time forever.

Again the monks came to the hospital and never left his side. He was part of that world now; there was a special service at the monastery for Alan and close relatives after the service at the Church he had regularly attended. His ashes were taken to the Monastery of the Monks were Alan was now allowed to finally rest in peace. He is buried in the garden in which he loved to tend in a special stone laid in memory of Alan who did indeed have tremendous courage and a huge heart.

He will never be forgotten and will always live on in our heart.

We often say why? If there is a God up there, why does he take the good people from this Earth; we need these people to make the world a better place for everyone as opposed to what it is changing into. Crime and Death and Hatred. He has a family and two beautiful children.

I have visited a couple of time since and life there is as it always was; as it should be. He will be happy there; this I am sure of.

I have a lot of respect of the work these monks do and wish more people could be more like them! The world would indeed be a better place.
RIP