"kuterera"
Oil on Canvas
Zambezi Valley
Another recent trip to the ’Valley’
- the spiritual ambience as always descends upon you like some cloak, warming
the soul, inspiring deep thought and above all a journey into the present!
Memories play like some continuous
film roll through our minds as individual smells and sights trigger certain
senses, and the silence of reality plays its music deeply within us - a time
for contemplation, a time of reflection.
How do you describe such beauty in the
right way? Perhaps we don’t, no words can ever really make an adequate
description of something so special, even a picture doesn’t do this justice. The
beauty of this place we call the ‘Valley’ is reflected within us, it’s a warm
feeling of knowing without a doubt that we are in the right place at the right
time, a feeling of being ‘ku musha’.
Today, I reflect on the privilege I
have had in my life - being able to spend so much time in these special places.
Whatever happened in the past was meant to be, though I confess the sadness of not
taking more of it in when I could.
I started writing this in the dark
early morning overlooking the river - the birds are starting up and in the
distance the hyenas are calling excitedly, signifying the harsh realities of
Nature. The cool morning air reminds me of those many fires that we shared
together, many times just in silence, others in frantic discussion about
subjects that were of the day but never really mattered in the end. These
campfires became louder as we added to our clan with wonderful wives and
fantastic children, who themselves began this journey that we had always wanted
for them, that one of great camaraderie and closeness that will be a strength
to draw from forever.
The memories of you swirl
around me like leaves on a gentle breeze, triggered by the smells and sounds
that are the early morning here in the ‘Valley’. Somewhere in the distance, the
lions are calling and the feeling of just ‘being’ is so intense, so real, that
I wonder where all the time has gone. It still feels like yesterday that you
didn’t make it to join us here in this special place.
I know somewhere out there you are
watching and enjoying the antics of us all, you will be proud of the way your
family progresses on that Journey of life and who they are, your amazing wife
and your children who we learn from continuously - your time here was a
powerful one, so impacting.
Perhaps it’s the atmosphere of the
moment, but I see you out there with Mumbo, walking the paths that the elephant
walk, discussing trees, being in the place that you loved. I picture you
crossing the great Chewore River close to ‘Pa dare’ where the lions sit in the
shadow of the great Baobab, a symbol of the great strength you left within us
all.
The silence of the morning is
friendly, the orchestra of doves starting up in unison as day slowly breaks to
my east, and the first light shows on the horizon. Today will be a good one,
another great memory for the future, another brush stroke on the oil painting
that is life. The intoxicating blends of Mopane clay, water and elephant fill
the fresh morning air, an undeniably African ambience reminds us of you. We
will laugh at some of these memories and in time we will laugh at the memories
that we will make today, but most of all we are stronger as we will know how
fortunate we are to have shared this journey with you.
WAM Aug 2017
“ Tell me what you plan to do with your one wild and precious life " Mary Oliver
