I am very grateful for the spontaneous hug I was given by my newly 16 year old niece. I love our irreverent relationship, I love her sense of humour, I love that she gives back as good as she gets but I especially love that she can still cuddle like a 6 year old. And that she likes to cuddle me.
Today was a bit tough. A combination of jet lag and a zoladex implant into my stomach had me feeling a little sorry for myself. I am grateful I never asked for a rain check on pizza’s and Chandon. And friendship and laughter. It was just what I needed.
I am grateful for my very own pillow. On my very own bed.
24 April. I am grateful for the feeling on entering our apartment after 20 odd hours travel. From the flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg to the flight from Johannesburg to Sydney to the flight from Sydney to Brisbane to the car transfer to Noosa, arriving home here felt like heaven. Especially after dumping our 70+kgs of luggage. Also grateful no airport officials had a problem with my 30 wraps, 50 necklaces, one years supply of Zoladex implants and Femara tablets also included. What was I thinking.
23 April. We had a stopover in Jhb en route to Sydney. I am very grateful my family came to see us off. Mostly I am grateful for the pinches Anna gave Granny to make her smile which made us all laugh. And helped me hide the tears. It doesn’t get easier leaving, it just gets more familiar. I am grateful for the knowledge of future meetings. In truth, it’s the only thing that helps.
22 April. I am grateful for laughter, for laughter so loud it’s almost madness. For memories of Mutt and Jeff and being called Linky. And for wonderfully irreverent colleagues who will forever remain friends. Friends who will travel over a mountain, catch up a lifetime in an hour, inspire you simply by who they are, share a bond in a minute, genuinely wish you happiness and contentment. And you them. Forever. I am so very grateful for the support, love, irritability, hot flushes and honesty we share. And for having a friend who wrote the most fabulous cookbook ever.
21 April. I am grateful for the perfect last lunch on the patio. For a connection between people I love. For a connection between my daughter and my friend’s daughter that was there the day they were born. I am grateful for a personal connection of the heart. With a friend who thinks like me, laughs like me, talks like me, dresses like me, swears like me, drinks like me, is a slave to coffee like me, explores like me, cries like me, talks fast like me, overshares like me, who wears black, biscuit and grey like me. I am grateful for my friend Leigh, who is a true brave heart and who encourages me to be ok with me, but also inspires me to be so much more than me.
20 April. Another day another little cherub. Quinn was born a year ago. How the year has flown. He was tiny, new, sweet and dependent. In a year, he has become Quinn, a gentle, calm, fiercely independent, cutely walking, very still yet open little chap. It is incredible to contemplate the growth in Quinn in only one year. I am grateful for that moment today with little Quinn in my arms when I was reminded how long a year really is. When I was reminded how focusing on moments like these, slows everything down. Right down.
19 April. Little Daemain is one now. The last time he saw Jem he was hardly more than one day old, yet he knows her. I am grateful for the love that is family. The love that was so apparent today in the connection that exists between these two. It is quite remarkable.
18 April. I cried today. At pure wonder and amazement at the beauty of the performance of the two guest ballet dancers we saw perform in Giselle this evening. What a gift. I am beyond grateful to Helen for sharing her love with the girls and I tonight. I am grateful for the example and the inspiration their graceful granny is to the girls. To all of us. But I am especially grateful she loves Jem’s converse sneakers as much as Jem does.
grace and dignity 