Kumusha

"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