4 April. I woke to a glorious sunrise, coffee on the patio overlooking the vlaktes, with only the turtle doves for company. I knew it was going to be a good day. This afternoon I got my all over body PET scan results. My final results. I was told I am well, very very well. I loved and am grateful for the look of joy on my oncologist’s face. Roll on 5 years.
3 April. Today was a beautiful day. I am grateful for too many wonderful moments, from sleepy eyed tousle haired cousins at 6am, to a giraffe with eyelashes I envy, to Rick teaching Kate at 14 to drive the landy, to nearly not being able to have wine on our sunset game drive, to an off road adventure to rocky outcroppings with the most spectacular views, to Lynn and and I beyond ourselves at Rick showing his age. To all of us being together. A truly golden day.
2 April. Today I am grateful for Serapa. Not only because it is the most wonderful gift my uncle has given us all, access to this wonderful place of his, but because it is part of us all. It is our history. Serapa and the yellow landy have meant so much to my brother, sister and I and continues to. From before our partners and before our children. Being here has helped us through career upheavals, pregnancies, illness, life. Being here has welcomed engagements, new family members, new life. And has cemented all our relationships over lots of red wine, stunning game drives, treacherous mountain bike rides, peaceful bush walks and braais made to perfection. I am very very grateful to be here right now, because right now it is the place here I have the most history with.
Today we spent a gentle morning with my dad’s sisters and their husbands. I know times have been very tough for them all and was so very grateful to see them all well and settled in their new homes. I was especially grateful to witness the love and concern they have for my dad. And he for them. No matter the years past, the different lives spent, the different journeys travelled, family is family. And for that I am grateful. I am especially grateful for the the reminder from the stray cat who made us all smile as he enjoyed the sun and the garden today. The reminder that there is always something to smile about. Always.
Today I am grateful for a career in advertising. Not for what I learnt or for what I wish I hadn’t learnt but for the wonderful friendships I made. Friendships that transcend time, life stages, careers and distance. Friendships that are as strong when we meet once every year as they were when we met every single day. Today I am grateful for being so blessed to have such varied, interesting, independent, kind, funny, irreverent women as my friends. Women who continue to astound me with all that they are. And more importantly, inspire me to be so much more.
grace and dignity 