Sacrifice

I am amazed at how time flies.


Donna and I have just celebrated 13 years of marriage. Isabella has turned one. We have been in Cape Town for 7 years. I have been on my own, business wise, for almost 3 years. Matthew starts big school in just over a month.

I think everyone understands on some level how fast things move, yet we don’t seem to notice it. Perhaps not until Christmas shopping time when everyone comments on how the year has flown by. The same sentence usually ends with the wishing away of time as they explain how much they are looking forward to taking a break.

Last night we attended Luke’s junior preparatory prize giving. It was very sweet and all of the children were recognised for their strengths. I realised just how little time I have left with my lovely little boy before he turns into a raging hormone. This clock is ticking and there is no turning it back!

If I really want to make a difference in his life; and for that matter a difference in the lives of anyone around me, I have to do it now!

What that means is that I need to sacrifice some of the things I want and like to do. That time and energy, I need to invest in him. Of course there is a good chance I could carry on the way we always have, and he would turn out just fine.


But what if that just is not enough?

New look

After three years of the same old tired looking front end, I have decided to do something about it!

My blog is in the process of getting a facelift. Many decisions on colours and photographs to be made. So far, the result is far from where I want it to be. In time, I will get it much better, but you will just have to wait and see!

My baby girl

 

My daughter is one today. A whole year has passed since we were blessed with the presence of this amazing little person. And she does become more amazing every day.


It has been 6 years since the last baby pattered around here, and I now realise just how much I had forgotten. Luckily my wife forgets nothing and has special miracle baby powers. The last year has not been easy but it certainly seems to get easier by the day. I don’t think the work requirement of a toddler is any less than that of a baby but the smiles, expressions, and rate of learning provide their own reward.

Our first steps have been taken, two teeth have been popped out, many bumps and bruises gained, and an incredible vocabulary of which none of us can understand. I fear it is the latter that is going to be the most trouble in months and years to come!

After two boy boys, a daughter makes an interesting change. I suspect that I will only find out how interesting in time to come. Nonetheless, I am enjoying the role of dad to a daughter, and am a little surprised at how much!

So Happy Birthday my darling daughter, may your birthdays to come be filled with love and happiness.

And I look forward to all your attempts to wind me around your little finger...

A new colour belt

I like to be prepared for anything that I do. Perhaps too prepared! If I need to know something, I like to research it, think about, day dream about it, and eventually go and do it. I like to know absolutely everything I need to know for any test I may take. I hate not knowing. I suppose not knowing is a personal failure and I don’t like failing.


Right now I feel like a bad parent. I did not adequately prepare my boys for their Judo grading on Monday night. We went through their stuff together a couple of times over the weekend, but they still needed more work. A lot more work, I thought! Hence my absolute surprise at their confidence and calmness as they were called up to grade.

My immediate thought was that they just did not know what they did not know. Yet every time, I looked over to the grading, they looked assured and executed some lovely throws. Hopefully, the right throws!

Afterwards, both were very happy with how it had all gone. Nonchalant!

I have to grade on Friday and am a little concerned. Adding some pressure is the presence of a Boland official at the grading. I am going to have to be on top of my game. Luckily, Wednesday night saw us learning an 18 throw Kata for the first time. And it will be tested on Friday!

I have a lot of work to do before Friday, and sadly none of my children’s confidence or calmness!

and time goes on...

Luke and I took the Beast down to the sea for a surf. The Beast decided to stay at the beach and watch the two of us frolic in the water. A good call! The waves were small but it was hard work to tow Luke out to backline after every wave that he caught. He still has not mastered the art of duck diving and hence the need for my muscle power. Unfortunately, my muscles were feeling somewhat depleted after a mere two and a half hours at the Judoka practising all of the throws required for my Brown belt grading in two weeks time.


Just last week, Matthew asked if he could go to surf lessons, and so we spent Thursday evening in sea together. It was a very short session, but then again the weather was abysmal. Perhaps one day, I will get to spend some really valuable time surfing with my two boys...

It was wonderful to be in the water again. To feel these tiny waves sliding under my feet. To watch Luke’s joy as he experienced the same sensations! Somewhere in all of the salt water, sea spray, and beautiful blue sky I finally made the decision to declutter my life. I have thought about it, blogged about, and talked about it, but now it is time to do something about it.

Just about every evening in my week is taken up by some or other activity. I hardly see my wife in the evenings anymore. That must change! I want to spend more time with my wife doing stuff, instead of us doing our own stuff at the same time. For that reason, Action Cricket, Action Soccer, and Forum are all activities that must cease immediately. Other activities like some of my charity and church stuff will need to be phased out. Especially the stuff that I attend but make no meaningful contribution. That is just a waste.

Hopefully I will just be left with the crèche as a charity project, judo and surfing as my sporting pursuits, and time for my wife and children.

And then perhaps I can try again to be the father and husband I really yearn to be!

Hiding out in a Convent

On Thursday I packed a suitcase and got on another plane. My destination was a little convent in Bez Valley in Johannesburg. The idea was to attend a workshop on Catholic media and communication, and somehow somebody had contrived to find me a space at this meeting at the last minute.

Apart from being Catholic, I am working on an incredibly interesting project that involves Catholic film. The workshop seemed to be just the thing to educate my completely uninformed brain on both my faith and the state of the Catholic media.

My room was simple and clean. The food was plentiful and made with much love. And an honesty shop did a roaring trade in chocolates and curios. Imagine that, a shop where you slip your cash into a money filled box, select your change, and take your purchases. All without supervision!

Add to that, the entire South African Catholic media assembled in the same place as me...

I have always known that my faith and understanding of the Catholic Church is a bit shallow. These four days clearly pointed out that I now know that I don’t know how much I don’t know. Regardless, my new found friends were dynamic, deep, and passionate. The sharing of mass first thing every morning was absolutely beautiful. The laughter was plentiful and the debates lively till the early hours of every morning.

More than anything, I had found a group of kindred spirits. People eager to change the world with the power of the written word, the music of broadcast radio, and the soulfulness of film!

I keep wondering if I have found that special place where I will be able to unleash the talents within me to actively serve my fellow man...

Monday Board Meetings

The last two Mondays have started off with a surf. A wonderful return to an old and good habit of mine. How on earth can one not look forward to the new week when it starts off doing something you love?

This past Monday was also the "Beast's" first surf outing. It was surprisingly fun, just a good mate and I, on a surf mission, accompanied by the low growl of a powerful V8. She is not yet complete and I hope to have all of the last niggles ironed out in the next week or two. My children absolutely adore her and are only to keen for her to take them anywhere! Even my 11 month old daughter gets a big goofy grin whenever I start her up!

Oh, and the surf was good too!

Big & Beautiful

We were walking in the nature reserve this weekend and stumbled upon this magnificant King Protea. I just had to share it with you all! Perhaps more preferable than the book just launched by Herschelle Gibbs, an 'expose all on tour' book? Of course the rest of the Proteas have denied all...