Both emotions…
May was a really tough month. There were some truly wonderful things that happened in May and one very sad thing and it was one of those months where you realised that life is never totally one thing or the other. It’s always this, and…
Most of you know that for nearly 20 years now, on my twice yearly trips to Nepal, I stay with Kopila Basnet and her family. She, Binod (her husband) and her daughters, Bibhuti and Mina, treat me like one the family, set aside a room and put up with me for weeks on end in a way that we don’t often do in the West.
Several times, Binod and I shared the bhai tikka ceremony (as had Mal and Kopila) which marks the connection between sisters and brothers. This was one reason why it was devastating for me when Binod died suddenly and tragically. Then there was the sadness seeing Kopila, Bibhuti and Mina’s devastation.
Suffice it to say that we text or talk daily and at one time I was ready to head over this month. We’ve all decided that our regular WhatsApps will keep us going until October and we’re all grateful for the technology that means we can talk for hours as we process this all and adjust to the new reality.
The process of working out how to live in the new now is slow and I am a little in awe of the three of them as they negotiate this.
One thing we have all talked about is continuing to choose life.. To choose joy. To keep seeing, even in the midst of sadness, that there is beauty and goodness and kindness and humour. There has not been a day that Kopila and the girls have doubted that they are surrounded by love; by a community of people all over the world who, even if they haven’t met them, are sending love and upholding them.
Often in times if intense emotion, happy and sad, I listen (and cry!) to the music of Sigur Ros. One of the absolute highs this month was going with one of my darling girls to listen to them live with the SSO in the Sydney Opera House. Obviously I cried but I was certainly not alone. There were a lot of blubbering fans. It was unbelievable.
A very special moment. And when they played Hoppipolla (which I have already earmarked to be played at my funeral…hopefully not for a long time) there was barely a dry eye in the house!
Another source of great joy has been the addition to our family of Bluey, a very chilled, calm, delightful rescue greyhound.
My parents and sister are mighty impressed by me (as they should be) because I grew up absolutely TERRIFIED of dogs. Actually, of most animals to be honest. My fear was eventually overcome by a succession of cats and a very rascally Labrador called Chora, the Nepali word for son. They would never have thought that the child who hysterically cried when she spotted a dog (or even dog poo!) would now be snuggling up with one while she watched TV!
And then of course there is making and teaching! And there has been some of both which is good. And hopefully more soon so I will stop now and add more about that next time!
While you are waiting, here are some gorgeous creations from the last Posca and Polymer class I did with some Canberra darlings!