Day 6: Some of the Happiest Days of my Life

Meet Rabbi. No, he is not a Jewish priest. He is a rabbit. "Rabbi" is short for "rabbit". At least to an (almost) one year girl and her family of madmen. I know he doesn't look much like a rabbit but, trust me, he is. He has the tail to prove it.

Rabbi was given to me on my very first Christmas by my dear old Nana. From that day forward, Rabbi and I did everything together; we slept together, ate together, played together. I used to take him on holiday with me right up until I was near 10 years old (now would be a good time to point out that i can't believe I'm telling you this). Now, he sits on my shelf in view of anyone's passing eye.

To me, Rabbi represents some of the happiest days of my life: my childhood in Zimbabwe. Those were the days when my family lived under the same roof. I saw my dad every day and he used to come to all my school events. My entire extended family (uncles, aunts, grandparents, great grandparents, Godfathers and Godmothers, cousins, second cousins, cousins twice removed - you get the picture) all used to live very close to us. I spent my days outside. I lived my life in my pool, or my grandparents pool. We took photos and videos all the time. There were games in the forest at the bottom of my grandparents house. The best Christmas lunches fit for Kings. I had ceaseless energy all the time. I had friends whom owned lake houses where we would go spend the day, or weekend - swimming in the lake, on the boat, exploring and not really caring if we got sunburnt.

Of course, things change and you are given new circumstances and new experiences. Some for the better and some, not so much.

Nevertheless, it is a beautiful life I have lived thus far.

Day 5 (a million and one days later): Love is this. This is love.

Someone I love.
Someone who has made me think twice about many different things in life.
Someone who has shown me true love and true strength.
Someone who has shown me what it means to truly fight for something with everything you have.
Someone who has taught me courage in being me, no matter how ridiculous or crazy.
Someone who makes me feel beautiful every day of my life.
Someone who can make me laugh until I cry.
Someone who is the complete opposite of me.
Someone who kisses my eyes when I cry.
Someone who calls me out on my shit.
Someone who stands beside me as an equal.
Someone who lives on the other side of the country from me, but whom I still fall in love with over and over, every day of my life.
Someone who is his own person, and allows me to be mine, loving me no matter what.

To this person, my boy, I thank with my whole heart, and love with my whole soul.

And to all of you, I hope you (if not already) find your someone. And when you do, fight for them. There is no relationship without equal effort and the constant want for them to be by your side every day - even if they can't be.

"It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work out? Ah, but what if it does." - Peter McWilliams

(The moustache featuring in the photo is courtesy of Movember. Quite a look, don't you think?)

My Most Sincere Apologies

I know I have perhaps destroyed the whole idea of the 30 days challenge - since it is exactly what it is called; a challenge over 30 days, not just a whenever-I-feel-like-it challenge and so, I've had to pop in to explain my recent lack of posts.

Due to my extremely slow (and overheated) computer, my blog posts in the evenings were taking a good couple of hours to complete - picture editing and all - and this was taking a lot of time away from studying for my oh so important end of year exams, and so, I have decided to put a bookmark in the photo challenge, focus on my academics and start up from where I left off when holidays (finally) arrive. I have no doubt that the pictures then will be infinitely more exciting, as I am spending three weeks in one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in the world - London, England.

So, lovely readers, until then...