Running Circles Around Life

Today you’ll close this gate; you’ve gone full circle with your journey here. You arrived as a beautiful, sexy, vivacious Englishwoman 38 years ago. Choices have never been yours to make, circumstances dictated your every move.   “She took a step and didn't want to take any more, but she did.” 
― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

No one knows your mind, none can walk in your shoes yet our hearts are sad, I feel a fist closing around my throat and another clenching my heart when I think of you, but I have no idea what you’re going through. Our helplessness suffocates us too.

You spoke your mind, voiced your opinion and never took no for an answer. You’re strong and brave.   Like a tree you wound your roots around your rock and grew ferociously, protecting your saplings. In the relentless wind your branches grew, you had your bark stripped repeatedly, but your resilience, impulsiveness,  strength and sheer guts healed you, and you grew and flourished way beyond everyones'  expectations.

We can patronise, read quotes, pray and give advice, none will suffice, and none can be taken seriously as only you can wear your shoes, tie the knots and walk on. My wish is that your new road will be smooth, that your legs will remain strong, that the world will treat you kindly and that your heart will heal.

You are water; you are the sun, the moon and the world to your children, your family and your friends. You’re our rock when we hurt and when we’re lost we turn to you. In your weird and wonderful, taking no shit way, you carry us like water and make us strong. You’re a faithful friend, albeit impatient, quirky and forthright.

This missive will infuriate you, but you’ll not read it to the end anyway, and I’ll not say all the nice things I’d like to, I’ll have to wait for that!   I’m one of the lucky ones, my path and yours will intersect in days and months to come. My wish is that yours will be straight, smooth, adventurous, exciting and long.  This is my way of saying goodbye, I'll miss you in the village, at the drinks club, book club. I'll miss seeing you for lunches and sundowners.  I'll miss you in Church Street and seeing you in Woolworths.  We're lucky though we can still do Namaqualand, Tofo, Knysna, Kirstenbosch gardens, the beach, lunch, dinner and chat.

She’s stopped reading by now so I’ll say: thanks for being my friend, thanks for being there for me when I needed someone else’s strength, thanks for your loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, love, patience and for relentlessly dragging me around every day for all those years when I couldn’t put one foot in front of the other, when my heart was broken and I was blinded by sorrow, you saved me and kept me afloat.

I hear you laugh, you do that so well, it comes from deep inside of you, something irrepressible, it’s who you are, I know you’ll never lose your ability to laugh at yourself and at life. May every smile, giggle or laugh give you the hope you deserve and fill you with joy.

Time and again you’ve surpassed God’s expectations; you certainly give Him a run for His money.   I salute you, you’re an amazing woman. “Some things scratch the surface while others strike at your soul.” Gianna Perada.  You strike my soul. As someone once said "here's to you kid, Cheers!"

I need to get ready for lunch, a fab friend once said "you may be late Maricha as long as you always look pretty"!