27 December. There is nothing like life lessons passed on from generation to generation. Especially the lost art of skimming stones. I am grateful for uncles, both mine and theirs, and especially for their neverending patience and love.
26 December. I unwittingly tried to minimise change in my children’s worlds. Tried to protect them from the one thing they actually needed to learn to deal with. The one constant in the world we know. Change. I blame my control freak tendencies and forgive myself because my intentions were good, my motive was love. So I am grateful, so very grateful that I have learnt that whilst change can be painful, it can also be beautiful. If you embrace it. It is liberating, you grow from it, you learn a lot, not only about yourself but about others. And I most especially learnt what I was capable of. And not to be fearful. I know my girls have grown immeasurably too. I knew it for a fact today when I stumbled across this passage Kate had found meaningful enough in her book to capture. Things do change. And life doesn’t stop for anybody. I am grateful my girls know this. Really know it. And more importantly embrace it. Embrace the adventure of life, the ups and downs. And are learning not to take what they have right now for granted. And I’m grateful I no longer feel guilty they had to face fears I would rather they hadn’t, I now see it as a gift. To us all.
25 December. A lapa christmas, a touch of style, an umbrella, laughter and love. I am grateful for an authentic celebration, for continued traditions and for the fact that no distance can separate us from those we love. We are together even when we are not.
24 December. I’m very grateful the hippos decided to visit the same sundowners spot as the girls. En masse. What a wonderful show they put on for them. A perfect welcome home to Africa.
23 December. I am grateful for an african christmas. A tree that links so many of us, and for one seriously talented sister in law.
22 December. I am grateful to be at Serapa. It is in our blood. We are blessed to be able to share in the beauty that is here. Enhanced beyond measure by the red wine selected for the evening. Mostly I am simply grateful to my uncle, for sharing his world with us all.
21 December. There is something about being with my mom and dad that stills me. I am grateful for homecomings and especially that we made it in time to celebrate a shared twelfth birthday.
20 December. Some might disagree but I believe and always will that the ludicrous cost of business class is completely disproportionate to what you get, no matter the comfort nor the fawning. But today I eat my words, I am so very grateful I got to lie down for 14 hours, and especially at B for insisting I do. Oh, and for upgrades.
19 December. I am grateful we made it to Sydney, for my own words whispered in my ear by my sweetest Jem, mom, this too will pass, and for the best sister imaginable.
18 December. I am grateful for the mundane, the chores of life. Just getting on with things like please mommy you promised I could get a haircut, has kept me focussed, strong and able. You know, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
grace and dignity 