Little Jesse
Tuesday, 08 July 2008
I heard excited chatter and shrieks coming from over the dune as we got ready to start our morning run. Looking up I saw a group of people walking towards us, awash with colour and leading the charge was a tiny figure laughing away carrying a bunch of flowers bigger than herself.
It was the family from Brazil, Rocky’s wife, little Jesse and friends coming to greet and send us on our way. Dragging behind smiling Jesse was a little painted poster saying, “Go Smile Merchants” as I looked at her angelic little face, heard the laughter, the absolute joy and excitement that she portrayed. My mind began to flash pictures of my own children.
Jess, my eldest daughter in Austria at the moment, slowly carving her own life’s journey, like mine there is always the uncertainty of what lies ahead like a heaving ocean on the one side and on the other side the solid land of the things we know. Thinking of her as she journeys on, trying to find the fine balance between the two and settle into her own rhythm of life.
Where am I to guide her?
Xander my son studying at Varsity negotiating through all the barriers that are thrown at one in modern day city life and the challenges that the youth face today.
Where am I to guide him?
Tamlin my daughter somewhere in the Transkei doing screening of children for the next mission of Operation Smile in the Eastern Cape opening up frontiers to bring a better life to the youth in South Africa.
Where am I to guide her?
Little Jade, only 3 ½, at home wondering where I am, not understanding what I am doing away from home, the only explanation I could give her when I left was that I was going away to help little children with sore lips.
Jade on awaking the other morning, holding her little finger to her lip, she tearfully looked at my wife and asked, “Where is my daddy, I have also got a sore lip.”
Where am I just to hold and comfort her?
How can one ever make up this time?