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Birthdays and presence

Writer's picture: Cathie RooyenCathie Rooyen

Friday 28th April 2023


This date is always significant because it's my late sister’s birthday.  The last one I spent with her, she turned 46 and she knew it was her last one. It was her diagnosis that made me realise that I was wasting my 'good' health and I started my running journey. I was in Scotland for that birthday (2007) and I remember not knowing what to get her for her birthday. She even joked about buying her a gift would be pointless. But we did go out for dinner to celebrate. She wanted to stay as 'normal' as possible for as long as possible and do ordinary things despite being in extreme pain some days. What a gift I ended up getting instead of buying her one. I got to spend 4 months in her daily life, where I was allowed in to help/keep her company/make the tea/help with her meds/shave her legs/and to insert myself in her small family for that time. I got extra special memories with my sister and those, I treasure.



Today I was reflecting on how 'lucky' I am in my life. To live as I do, love as I do and float around the planet as I do. It feels like I have been doing a lot of floating the past 2 weeks with all the aerial views and magnificent skies. I stopped by at my friend's who has the South West facing view and I thought about how the wide space frees my mind. The one snag about being up high is getting there. My Smartie almost stalled in my sister's driveway being so steep and my engine so small. Fortunately I turned abruptly and kept the engine going, haha.  My friend's complex has speed bumps up the really steep slope which means my car huffs and puffs up it.



But it's a small price to pay for seeing the twinkling lights down in the valley below.  I'm going to miss this room and super comfy bed. I move again tomorrow and slowly head north. But now I'm watching the night lights (and yes, surprisingly there's power in the valley).



P.S. It rained! And I got to smell petrichor again, yey!

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I'm in my fifties. Love life, people and their stories. Ready to explore the world, starting with my home country

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