thing

I have a friend who skydives. And so does her son, who is 11. And in Jem’s grade. For some reason this came up over breakfast, and Jem wondered how he was not scared to do it. I replied probably because he’s grown up with it. For him it just is what you do. To him it isn’t different, it just is. His family does it and so does he. It’s a fairly adventurous family thing I went on to admit, but for him it would be the same as the family who play tennis together, who cycle together, who hike together or like us, who …. shit,  I couldn’t think of something to say. By way of an example. We play tennis, some of us but not as a regular family thing. We kayak, some of us but not as a regular weekend family thing. We walk, some of us, but not as a regular weekend family thing. We beach, but no longer all together so it’s not a regular weekend family thing. Shit, what is our family thing. I finally lamely settled on, just like us, we do breakfast out together as a regular family thing. Jem sort of looked at me. Clearly not a good enough example. Oh, well, stuff it, it is what it is, and thats our thing. We share ourselves with each other. Over breakfast out. That’s our family thing and I think that’s damn fine.

fifty eight

Kate is in year 10 which means she has to go to Googa, an outdoor education centre. For a month. They camp, they hike, they cook over open fires, they wash, they clean, they do without any form of technology, they do everything for themselves. They learn about themselves, what they are capable of, what they can handle. They learn about their friends. And they learn to be grateful for what they have. We had the information evening tonight, and I watched Katie interact with her friends. I am very very grateful that Kate has made such lovely friends. So that she now feels excited at the prospect of the month away. When she first started here, we made a pact. I would do whatever I needed to to ensure she didn’t go. Even if it meant changing schools. To be honest 4 years seemed a lifetime away then. Today I am so grateful I don’t have to.

why me?

Why me? Actually why not me? I’m big on taking responsibility at the moment. Sometimes life is cruel. But it is not someones else’s fault or responsibility. It just is. And the responsibility is with you. We all have a choice. In how we respond. And to learn from it. And to change. To be the change. I am also very much about moderation. Some might call it fence sitting. Well, thats them. For me, its keeping an open mind, and not being absolute about anything. I often envy those who believe so absolutely in something, that for them there is no other way. I am thinking a lot about this especially in relation to cancer. Not only because I’m heading home soon for a reality check, but also because a friend of B’s is suffering. His partner has no time left. She has throat cancer that they treated themselves by attacking the acidic/alkaline ratio in her body. Some would say it was stupid, some would say it was brave. We are not here to judge but to learn. But it is very very sad. I threw everything at my cancer. I was too scared not to. Well, first time round I refused to accept it. I went for opinion after opinion after opinion until I got the opinion I was able to deal with. My holy grail. It was all about control driven by fear. But, I didn’t give up.  I also didn’t learn.  Second time round I decided not to fight so hard, because the very thing I fought against first time round came to be. And then some. So, second time round, I chose to accept and do what was required. I still didn’t give up, but definitely relinquished a bit of control. But I still didn’t learn. I can only now be thankful that the opportunity to move here came at a time when I wanted it least but needed it most. And I can only now be thankful to B for seeing what I needed. Only now can I begin to take some responsibility. Not for manifesting cancer, but for not putting me first. For getting ‘caught up in superficial achievements, goal-hitting, and daily drama’.  For not looking after my wellbeing. We all have cancer cells. It is our responsibility not to create an environment in which they need to grow. To look after ourselves. To take responsibility. I chose to deal with the symptoms, but only now am I dealing with the cause. Every single day there are moments, big and small, when things happen we don’t really like, stop for a minute and before you blame someone else, take responsibility for your part in it.  It’s actually quite liberating. I haven’t yet got to the place where I see my disease as a blessing. But I’m getting there.

fifty seven

 

Today I am grateful that our flight home for this year has been confirmed. This annual trip home has been the reason I have managed to still be here, knowing that I will see family and special friends at home at least once a year. Every year. For that, I am very very grateful.

salute

When life isn’t great, you really know who your friends are. I do agree with this, and I know a lot of my friends are feeling it right now. And that sucks. To know you can’t always count on people you thought you could. But what I find even more interesting are the friends that are only there when your life isn’t great. When you are suffering. When you are sad. When you are ill. When you are struggling. There is a name for this, where your friends almost take ownership of your suffering. On a compassionate level, I am sure it makes them feel worthy. And it is sad that they feel they are only better when others aren’t.  As soon as you seem to be handling, and god forbid exceeding, they disappear. And not in a noble Florence Nightingale kind of way. How sad is that.  So to all my friends, those present, those absent, I salute you for all that you are, and once were to me. And hope you find happiness within.

fifty six

I was grateful for an early morning walk and coffee today. Especially grateful because it was at the request of Kate. We watched the Noosa Festival of Surfing kick off at First Point. I was amazed at how the surfers managed to do something with the beautiful pond they were presented with. Kate was amazed at how gorgeous some of them were. A perfect start to a gentle Sunday. For both of us.

fifty five

I am very grateful to all those who asked after the progress of precious little Jayde, the rat. She is doing very well despite being completely stressed out and pissed off with her Elizabethan collar. And mostly because she can’t groom herself. Yes, contrary to popular belief, these little fancy rats are the cleanest of creatures. I am grateful she is doing so well, and especially grateful to the most wonderful staff at Tewantin Veterinary Surgery, for caring for Jayde as if she were a pedigree.

expectations

We made a conscious decision when we came here not to actively seek out other South Africans. To not live in an African enclave. Many expats do that and thats cool. But we knew the only way we could survive being here was for us to embrace the difference. So there was no real basis for comparison. To live a new life, not try and emulate our life back home and then be even sadder when it was just not the same. To rather celebrate the difference. And learn from it. And that’s worked for us. Many Africans are seen as arrogant here, primarily because they don’t integrate. They keep to their own. In fact, I have been rejected on occasion purely on the basis of being a South African, and the assumption that I have an air about myself. Or maybe it was just because I say fuck a lot. Or maybe I do have an air about me. Whatever. I don’t think we have an air about us, but I do think we expect a lot. From ourselves, our friendships, our interactions. And I think that’s a good thing. But maybe sometimes we expect too much, and I for one am definitely learning that. To be still and have less expectation. Of others.  I am still very happy living in my not purely African enclave, but have to say every time I am with my fellow South Africans, I do feel at home.

fifty four

I am so grateful today for living on the river. Not only is it a gentle place to live, but it means Jem gets to sail on it every friday afternoon. It is so beautiful to watch all the little sailing boats in the late afternoon sun, especially knowing my daughter is on one of them.

fifty three

I was sitting watching the surfers at the entrance to the national park this evening while I was waiting for Kate. I was just thinking how grateful I am that this is where I get to wait when my heart swelled at the sight of a beautiful old lab lumbering down the walkway. I am very grateful that I was where I was today so I got to meet Whiski. A lovely old boy with the most wonderful and interesting owners who let me play and love and remember.