“Breathe, just take deep breaths…” I remind myself, more often than I care to admit. As my eyes become accustomed to the morning light I kick the covers off my sweat soaked body.
It’s a brand new day, the sun is shining, I can hear the sounds of Che making coffee in the kitchen and I have a great job to go – and yet some part of my sub-conscious hasn’t cottoned on to the fact that there is no need for the fight or flight instinct.
Something I was dreaming of perhaps? Something I am afraid of perhaps? I take a deep breath and need to concentrate on taking the next one, deeply as well. And the next one, until my mind and body calm down and acclimatise to the sanctuary my bedroom offers.
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I resented the callouses I had on my hands when I was in primary school. My school bag was heavy with books and I walked 2kms to school and 2kms back home which took a toll on my young hands.
My path home crossed a park built in the middle of a large traffic circle, large enough to have swings, slides and other playground equipment. It was roughly half-way between school and home and I sometimes lay my bag down and enjoyed a few minutes on the swings.
When I went to high school, school rules allowed me to have a shoulder satchel and the callouses on my young hands disappeared.
Work
My Mom gave me my first briefcase, a beautiful burgundy one with brass combination locks. It was symbolic of growing up and starting my career in the business world. I used it with pride. Eight years later I replaced it with a laptop bag. This was another symbol for me, this time I had graduated to being mobile. To my younger self, these seemingly small things were important for what they stood for.
I still have the burgundy briefcase and it’s now used to store important documents.
Travel
I’m on a mission to travel lightly. I tend to over-pack as I provide for unexpected social situations and weather conditions. I am on a mission to eventually pack “only vows, happiness…and the flower that sweetly shows nestling lightly” in my hair.
Mozambican-born Portuguese South African; reflecting on travel, writing, editing, life, family and change that has social impact; chief wide eyed in wanderer, wonderer and bottlewasher
