Golden Brown

Week Forty – three: Sunday 22 July – Saturday 28 July

Whenever I feel the need to have a moan and a whine about my lot in life, whenever I am focusing on what I don't have instead of being thankful for what I do have, I only have to glance in my wife's direction to regain a sense of perspective.

Just over five years ago I took my then bride to be away from her family in Zimbabwe and the life she had created as an economic migrant in Botswana. Since then, as she has watched her country of birth collapse into terminal decline, and worried about the family and friends left behind trying to feed themselves, as we have made a life for ourselves thousands of miles away, she has never grumbled or complained once.

My wife is a private, reserved person; most content in company she knows well and trusts enough to be able to be herself around. But she has limited opportunities to be around such company, family and old friends, these days.

So nothing could have made me happier than to see her this weekend in the company of three of her cousins who she grew up with back in the halcyon days of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Like her, they have all fled Zimbabwe recently and set about establishing new lives in the British Isles. One of them was celebrating her fortieth birth day last weekend: Toni, Kumali and I joined the celebrations.

It was a good old party African style: lots of good food sizzling on the barbecue; drink in free flow; lots of good music blaring from the sound system; lots of beautiful looking brown people, adults and children. Toni had so much fun and happiness being with her three cousins, June (the birth day girl), Lyndsey and Leazel. Kumali had just as much of the same with her cousins, Toni's cousin's children. And me? I just rejoiced watching the two ladies and loves of my life having such a good time. Amen to that.