3D REFLECTIONS OF LIFE

Sasha with her cousins who came along for the Matric Results announcement   Just the other day, almost nineteen years ago, I discovered we were going to have another baby. I don't want to bore you with all the details, but Sasha was a complete surprise to us. At the time, my dad who was still here with us, was more excited than I was. He reminded an emotional me of the blessings and privilege it was to be a parent. I swear that when I was in labour (forever again), he was sitting on the armchair, keeping watch over his second granddaughter.   Today I was all soppy again. Time flies too fast. Sasha has suddenly grown into this beautiful, young woman. While we were chatting one day, she said:   " I explained to my friends that I have to take small steps so that you can get used to the fact that I am no longer twelve years old. I will go out to clubs, then take a break to allow you guys to recover, then go out again. I want to help you deal with the shock of having an eigh...

  Whether we are talking about the nuclear or the extended family, we can expect to find a delicate, explosive network that is second to none.   Families bitch and moan. They can suck up your bone marrow better than a giant octopus. Competition is their middle name. The house, children, jobs and pets are fair game during any family gathering. How many times don't we just want to throw in the towel and swear we don't need this madness in our lives?   Then there's the creme de la creme personality of families. The Pacific Ocean is too small to hold all the love and concern they have for us. When we succeed, they rally the shooting stars to broadcast our achievements to the world. Their drooling makes our spines curl and the water rise in our knees. Don't we just want to hug them eternally on these occasions?   Such is the life of families. Embrace this ambivalence that provides the fuel for REAL families. Families are alive, high energy organisms that need constant int...

Dorian and Jackie on their way to sign the register . Dorian, Basil's nephew, married his sweetheart, Jackie, finally! The two of them have been together for a few years now and we were thrilled to celebrate their wedding at the beautiful Fernwood Estate. Dorian and Jackie's children - all four of them - played an active part in the wedding ceremony. Their happy faces told the world that today was their glorious day too. They are now officially the Big Six. I don't know about you, but I become marshmallowish when I see love and happiness walking on high heels. There we sat in the garden, witnessing two people declaring their love and commitment in public. I was mesmerized by the pastor's message of the three Cs of love. By the time Dorian and Jackie recited their marriage vows, I was saying them myself. Quietly, of course. Dorian and Jackie's daughters formed part of the entourage. This wedding in an idyllic garden setting, on a perfect summer's da...

Christo (left) with his 21st key. Big brother Brett is in the middle, flanked by Dad, Basil on his right. Nowadays so many people believe family traditions are old-fashioned and out of keeping with the modern world. The 21st celebrations that used to be a huge event, complete with a 21st key to celebrate the "Coming Of Age", is also under threat, it seems. When I was looking for a 21st key for our son, Christo, I was fascinated with a few responses. There were folk who said they didn't hand over the symbolic key while others settled for another symbol like a chain to substitute the key. Even Basil, my husband, said that " 21st keys" are outdated. I almost fainted! There was no way we were not going to have The Wooden Key. The key made from wood is, as far as I was concerned, the true symbol of celebrating your coming of age. I wasn't going to fall into the trap of the modern thinking and started hunting for someone who could sculpt a 21st key with a...

Ma and a few of her grandchildren Ma, my mother-in-law, celebrated her 87th birthday today, looking so radiant and full of life still. Ma and a few of her grandchildren Ma is actually 88 years old, but the authorities made a mistake when they issued her birth certificate and identity document many, many years ago. After trying to fix this mistake, Ma eventually gave up. She now follows the date on her ID. Kathy, my sister-in-law, explains that her mother-in-law, gained a year, also because of a Home Affairs error. Those were the days at Home Affairs when people's names were either misspelt or changed if the person recording the name could not pronounce or spell the name.   Claude, Ma's grandson and pastor of a church, gave a beautiful service and then we tucked into all the delicious treats. Ma was delighted because she was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her friends whom she had known for many, many years.   Ma has been a pillar of strength ...