I see
symbolism in so many things around me. It’s not superstition because I’m not a
superstitious person. There are so many things in nature that have significant
meaning in general and also for me personally. I like to recognize the
uniqueness in everything around me. Like the song in the old musical movie, The
Sound of Music, said: “These are a few of my favorite things” …
Speaking of
The Sound of Music – when I turned thirteen (a century or two ago), my
parents borrowed the church movie projector (a huge piece of equipment) and a
big white screen, and set up a “movie theater” in our garage (Please note that,
coming from a very religious background, going to a movie theatre was
considered a sinful act). Anyway, they rented the film which was a huge reel of
tape, which then rolled through the projector to another empty reel, until the
whole tape had run its course and ended up on the opposite reel, at which time
the movie was over. I’m only putting this description in for the young people
who would not otherwise understand our level of technology at the time. This
was one of my favorite movies for the longest of times and I knew every song by
heart.
So, here
are a few of my favorite things.
My three favorite
flowers are as follows: Proteas, Sunflowers and Roses.
Here are my
reasons for loving these flowers and what they represent to me:
Protea –
hardiness, resilience, wildness and beauty
Sunflower –
happiness, loyalty, vibrancy and strength
Rose –
fragrance, beauty, delicacy and a symbol of deep affection
I’m a great
lover of nature in general. I love the ocean and I love the mountains and I
love the forests – places where one can breathe in deeply; in with the good,
out with the bad. Just breathe and sigh and reflect.
My favorite
treats are as follows (please remember for future birthdays 😊):
Turkish
Delight – especially the handmade kind; Nougat – also the handmade kind;
Chocolates – any freaking kind.
I’m also a
lover of tattoos, but not just any random jailbird, spur-of-the-moment, tattoos
(like Danie’s). No, a tattoo is a permanent part of your body and should have a
significant meaning, according to me. I’ve got various tattoos which I only
received after the age of forty-eight – a late bloomer if you wish. My tattoos
consist of the following details with their individual meanings:
Sunflower –
positivity, hope and optimism
Mandala –
depth and harmony and a way to express individuality through the body
Yin Yang –
a powerful symbol of balance and harmony, two forces constantly interacting and
transforming each other
Humming
bird – overcoming difficult times, but also represents peace, vigor, hard work
and unfailing effort
Spiral –
represents creation and self-realization
Lotus
flower – symbolizes beauty, purity, rebirth and awakening, as well as
peacefulness and calm
Heart – a
reflection of affection, passion and commitment with deep emotional connections
Butterflies
– symbolizes freedom, transformation and personal growth. It’s a reminder that
change is a natural part of life
My
granddaughter’s initials (SR for Scarlett Rose) – an expression of an emotional
and deep love for a very special person
I’m still
planning to get a few more tattoos before I die. There’s still a lot of space
to fill. People often ask the ridiculous question: What will you do with all
those tattoos when you’re old? To which I reply: “I’m going to be freaking
fabulous, obviously! I’m going to be part of the generation of grandmas with
badass tattoos!” I heard someone say that when people stop and stare, make it
worth their while. This makes me laugh out loud because I’m not a person who
likes to draw attention to myself. Someone else commented: “It annoys me when
people say, ‘you’re going to regret your tattoos when you’re old’. Yes, because
when I’m slowly dying and struggling to move around, the first thing I’m going
to think is ‘damn, wish I didn’t have these tattoos that remind me of the good
times’”.
Unfortunately,
there’s a huge stigma attached to tattoos, and the people who have them, dating
back to the time of the pirates and convicts who bore them like nametags.
However, statistically there are now one in three people with tattoos, that’s a
third of mankind.
Getting
back to my favorite things – my family.
My husband,
lover, best friend and support, to whom I’ve been married for thirty-eight
years, is one of my favorite people. He has always been the headstrong,
upstream, temperamental one in the household. But he was also the defender of
the castle. Nobody got close to his family without risking their lives.
My
daughter, Angelique, the older of my two children, is strong-willed like her
father, but with a gentle heart full of love and with a positive energy. I
admire and love my amazing daughter - a mother herself, a wife and as an
awesome go-to friend. You rock girl!
My son,
Jacques, my little boy (of thirty-three), mommy’s boy – I love him so much and
oh, how I miss him. Standing six feet three inches tall, I look up to him and
hug him around his chest. He is so handsome and strong and I’m so incredibly
proud of the man that he is.
My
granddaughter, Scarlett – my little angel and tip of my heart. We have an
affectionate Afrikaans nickname for her, Muishondjie, which means little skunk,
but that doesn’t reflect on her as a person. She is the most caring and
compassionate little soul I have ever met. She cares about everyone and
everything around her – from the new kid in the class to the stray cat on the
street. She has green fingers like her dad and loves to spend hours with her
hands in the soil, planting seeds and picking the fruits of her handiwork. I
miss her little arms around my neck, curled up on my lap. I miss the face
painting, the games, reading books and going on adventures with oupa Danie. She
is growing up too quickly and so far from us. I yearn for this little person.
My
daughter-in-law Alyda and son-in-law Wayne – you are both so special to me. Two
of my favorite people. Thank you for being a part of my family and for the love
you have for my children, and the positivity you add to the circle. I love you
both with all my heart.
And last,
but in no ways least, is my favorite animal and fur child, Murphy. I think he
loves me more than anything else can. His possessiveness can be quite annoying
at times, but, at the same time, he is extremely cute and cuddly (although not
everyone will agree with me here) 😊
Through the
difficult times we’ve experienced and with my children all being so far away, I
have to remind myself on a regular basis why I go on and what gives my life
purpose.
“I simply remember my favorite things and then I don’t feel so bad” – courtesy of The Sound of Music.
My Favorite Things - Song (link)
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