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| In the earlier years of Ali's employment for SPUC - about 1991. |
Today, on her 65th birthday, Ali would have reached retirement age and qualified for her state pension. For most of her working years, Ali was employed by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), defending the right to life of the most vulnerable from conception until natural death. Whether or not Ali would have continued in paid employment, had she lived until now, it is not possible to believe that she would have ever ended her efforts to defend the most vulnerable.
Ali's pro-life work was achieved at much personal cost. She could not help but be deeply affected by having to read and hear on a daily basis how people like her were "better off dead" and thus denied the chance to even be born, or so "undignified" in their suffering with chronic disability or illness that they should have the option of ending their lives. I don't think many people understood the damaging effect on Ali's own self-esteem, effectively to have to justify daily her own right to even exist in this world.
The walls of Ali's study varied over the years but the one constancy was that they were covered with photos of dear friends and loved ones, including many who were especially vulnerable. The photos of these individuals helped to motivate Ali. I'm sure that if Ali had been merely concerned with establishing her own right to live she would not have been able to work for SPUC for as long as she did. It was her love not only for God but also for others, which spurred her on to persevere in her very important work.
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| Ali's study wall in Sept 1992 |
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| Ali's study wall in May 1995 |
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| Feb 2003: Ali in her study |
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| Part of Ali's study wall in Nov-Dec 2006 |
My dearest Ali, told me that we were on her wall, I found my mother and sister, a picture I have never seen and I know it is when they all first met in Boulder, Colorado, the beginning of a long friendship for our family in the late 70's. My sister and Linda would write letters back and forth to each other, it would take nearly a month for letters to get back and forth between England and the USA. After my sister passed away, mom took up the torch and wrote Ali and after my mother passed away I took the torch. Ali and I became so close as she was with mom and Linda, but we had email and we talked daily up until those last two years when she wasn't feeling well. I had become her little sister in America, what a great honor. I also found another picture of my sister Linda and a picture of my little family. Ali touched everyone's life she came in contact with. Happy Birthday Ali, I miss you so. Love, Carol (Singleton) Costa
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to see Ali’s study wall photos again! Whenever we visited we could see that even more photos had been added. Ali’s capacity for friendship and for caring about others was astonishing, especially when her health deteriorated. So many people miss her and will never forget her - she was a true and loving friend. Thank you, Ali xxx
ReplyDeleteNice... All the best.
ReplyDelete