barefootchildI was born on a Sunday morning in the Free State town of Welcome, South Africa. I always thought that being born into Welcome gave me an unfair advantage. This happy event happened about 40 yours ago, give or take a few months. In between then and now so much happened. It is impossible to tell you everything. I will try to keep to the highlights. Please take into account that things that were highlights for me - like going to school - may not be highlights to the rest of my family.
As a child I was happy and at times content. My youth did not last very long, but I enjoyed the little I could taste off it (maybe too much). I got pregnant at 16 and married before the baby was born… actually before I was showing a bump. I though I knew it all. This changed completely when we were driving home with the baby. I wanted to scream out; Lets go back to the hospital! I don’t know how to do this. I think I’m going to let him die!
We did not turn around, and a short ten months later he had a little brother. Having one child at seventeen was hard enough… having two at eighteen was pushing the envelope. A year later I did it again, and my daughter was born. Somehow we all survived the journey of family almost intact… there is a bump and a bruise here and there.
After a long run of twenty-one years, we decided to part on friendly, although strained, terms. It was not easy for me to start again at thirty-nine years of age. With a lot of help from the Lord, and some good faithful friends, I made it to here. I know this is a beginning and not an end. Our entire lives are made up of beginnings… restarts… second changes.
I have learned to trust again. I have allowed someone to break down my walls again. He is making himself at home in my heart. He is teaching me how to love again. Grieta’s got her groove back.
This is me… in short.
