Forty-nine years ago God “lent” me a treasure in the form of one Iris Borg who departed this life on 16 December. To me, she was close to perfection because I was not blessed with her just being my mother but she was also my very best friend.

A mother and friend whose death will leave me inconsolable till the last day of my life. I truly hope that other people have the same “luck” I had – to have a mother like mine, a mother I could talk to about anything.

Our relationship was indescribable. We laughed about the same things, cried about the same things and although we had different opinions about certain things, we always compromised by concluding that we couldn’t agree about simply everything.

O God, how am I going to miss her. A Chinese proverb says that when somebody you love dies, a part of you dies with them. A very, very large part of me died with my mum.

Dearest mummy, thank you for all that you were to me for 49 years, simply “the wind beneath my wings”. Although I cannot imagine life without you, my only consolation is that you are looking down on me from Heaven. Throughout my life you will always be in my mind and heart.

I love you mummy dearest and I thank God He gave me you as a mother.

Valerie Borg

VALLETTA