I am just about to go traveling again for a few weeks, and, looking back at papers from a previous trip, I came across 'The Rolling English Road', by GK Chesterton.
It had me in tears...again (it was the last line of the last verse):
'My friends, we will not go again or ape an ancient rage,
Or stretch the folly of our youth to be the shame of age,
But walk with clearer eyes and ears this path that wandereth,
And see undrugged in evening light the decent inn of death;
For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen,
Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green.'
Ben, of course, lived in Kilburn, not far from Kensal Green. He may have visited this inn (named by reference to that last line)...
...but whether he did or not, our Ben has gone to Paradise (or to Valhalla, in my telling of his story!) by way of Kensal Green (or, Kilburn :)). And, with no regard to Chesterton, he DID stretch the 'folly' of youth...and the 'shame' was only ours!!
But I also know Ben would agree that we have good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen...
¡Que haya luz! Kerenza ha yeghes da! Dad/Grandpa/Andrew x