As you experience what must be unbearable grief, I am praying that a Supernatural sense of Unconditional Love will somehow find you and make you feel protected and safe.

About five days before Bruce left you, two songs started occupying my head and heart space. One was Big Sky and the other was Telegraph Road by Dire Straits. They stayed there continuously and I didn’t feel it was right to focus on any other music.
I could not figure out why this was, or what was going on, for a while.
But since then, it’s been like the pieces of a jigsaw falling into place. I think Telegraph Road is epic & jaw dropping in its own right and I would like it played at my funeral.
Then of course the whole of In Search Of Angels – and in particular Big Sky – has strong imagery & concepts based around the freedom of birds to fly off & perch on telegraph poles & wires etc. Thus creating a wider Vision around ascending to something ethereal & greater than this ground/ earth we walk upon. There is something very special and powerful about this being Bruce’s first album with Runrig and it will always captivate my heart like no other, as it does I am sure with many others.

So there was a real sense of Connectedness going on.

Dylan and Jodie - I trust that both of your musical giftings will continue to flourish in the future, when you are ready to pick them up again. I’m sure that the whole Runrig Community will be delighted to resonate with your Dad living on through your beautiful unique life talents. (“this is the Story of the life inside of me”).

I am immensely privileged to have four Daughters of my own.
As you will see from one of my photos posted here - of the pages I contributed to the fans’ Book of Golden Stories - my older two have grown up with me watching Bruce and the Band perform. I very much hope that he gained a lot of enjoyment and encouragement from reading this special Book - which is full of such incredible & inspiring testimonies - especially in later times.

I took that particular photo while waiting for the Band to come on stage at their 40th Anniversary Concert at Birmingham Symphony Hall on 29th March 2014. I had with me the In Search Of Angels Runrig banner (as pictured in one of the other photos here). I stood in the gangway and unfolded this and waved it with the help of my daughters during their performance. Bruce saw this and gave a lovely acknowledging smile in my direction. He also seemed to gesture for me to come up to the stage with the banner. However I had no wish to become a centre of attention and detract from the Band’s performance. So I stayed standing where I was, just enjoying the moment.

You will also see - on the first page of my contribution - that I was particularly fascinated by Big Songs Of Hope and Cheer from The Stamping Ground, to the extent that I was moved to write to the Band to ask all about where it came from. Calum's response (as published here) was terrific and it's very interesting that this is a song which Bruce was involved in writing!

One other wonderful moment (which I have inexplicably left out of my ‘Runrig story’) took place on 11th December 2010, when we saw the Band at Warwick University (also in England). Bruce came out into the crowd during one of the songs, walking in the gangways right to the back of the auditorium whist still singing brilliantly into his roving microphone. I was on the end of one of the rows (just as the stairs started) and as he went past he Hi-Fived me.

That spoke to me on a very personal level about how much Bruce still enjoyed connecting with his audience in something of a more intimate way, whenever there was opportunity.

I also particularly enjoy the music of Mike Peters and The Alarm. You are probably aware that Mike has had his own battles with cancer and set up a Global Cancer Foundation in 2007 (with one branch based in the UK and one in the USA). They have raised many hundreds of thousands of pounds over the years to help improve access to cancer services in many diverse places.

Indeed, as you have requested, I have made a donation to the Cancer Care Here at Home Campaign at the Cape Breton Cancer Centre.

I have also seen Mike/ The Alarm perform on numerous occasions. Mike has himself from time to time physically come into the audience, obviously taking a leaf out of Bruce’s book!

There is a Band in England called Half Man Half Biscuit, who write many great satirical songs about cultural icons whom have been in the public eye, usually Musicians or Bands.
I was therefore especially excited when the Administrator of The Alarm fans’ Facebook page brought one of their more recent songs to my attention. The song has the bizarre title of “P.R.S. Yearbook – Quick, The Drawbridge“ and contains the following lyric, which I hope you find as amusing as I did:
“Runrig with special guest Mike Peters
Red and white, black and white, blue and white bandanas
See what we’ve gone and done
To the band who got a bit pompous
They called their Fan Club an Information Service”

With Big Hugs, Love and Prayers to You All.
I am eternally full of Wholehearted Awe for you sharing Bruce with us so incredibly generously.
Most importantly my genuine Hope is that you take some Comfort and Encouragement from what I have written here and the photos I have shared.
Yours in Service, Paul Barker.