Sunday, September 27, 2009

The 25th of September 1981, just a little after 2pm.


On Friday it was my birthday. I turned 28. It was a busy day and offered little chance of reflection, but I’m just another year older. So there’s not much to be said about this (which is just as well because my Blog Guru tells me I need to keep things short).

There was nothing out of the ordinary about my birth. I arrived on my due date, at a leisurely hour (sometime after 2pm) in Gisborne Hospital. When my mother started having contractions my father drove her the hour’s drive from their farm into town. I was born, given four names, and went about crying, drinking, sleeping and so on.


A couple of years ago my mother told about this time in one of our rare honest conversations. She said that her and Dad had this feeling that here was something they had created, it was just theirs, and now they had the job of looking after it.


I have no idea what it is to be a parent, or if I ever will, but I loved and respected her just a bit more when she said that, because that thing was me.


4 comments:

  1. At first glance I thought your mother was you. I loved this post! She'll worry about you forever. Happy birthday.
    Richard (of RBB)

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  2. I was a teenager when someone first said I looked like my mother. I reacted with all the anger and foul mood a teenage girl can muster. Now, I take it as a complement. Thanks Richard.

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  3. It's probably time to update this blog.

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  4. Jesus picks on Richard so Richard picks on someone else

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