When we were young

Mama Frog and the Wee Dive Ninja / Mister Squirmy-Wormy / Rastace / Buddy / Judo T

Zendaddy had a mail from his lovely and wondrous mum just now.

Billie wrote:

"Today I went into the city to hand in my retirement papers to the superannuation people and at Town Hall a whole lot of young Grammar boys got on - probably year 7 or 8 and my mind wandered back. I watched some of them gather around a big photo of the year, laughing probably at teachers, a few of them read the give away afternoon newspaper - straight to the puzzle they went, one fell over his bag, another plugged his MP3 into his ear. I couldn't take my eyes off them. Young, clear, faced, intelligent, happy. Suddenly it was Wynyard and all the people were getting on. I jumped up with a start, jerked back into the present."

So here is some of what I replied:

"I haven't been online much in the last few days since my home computer got a bug. I think it's OK now, although I'm not sure. Just spent the night with the boy while Nelle went to her Chinese class and then to dance with Jodi at the Space. So him and me for hours and...it goes ok. He's been in a bit of a 6-8 week funk of late (the 'arsenic hour' i've seen it named) where he might scream for no apparent reason for an hour or so; but we're getting it settled. His problem spending time with me for long periods is that when he suddenly wakes and wants food he WANTS IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! and zendaddy must endeavour to teach the lesson of patience (it's getting warm, nearly there, breathe and relax son, you must learn patience...it's warmer, hang on....) while the milk heats to drinkable temperatures.

And isn't that the thing about time, and the past? For Judo, a few minutes is a significant proportion of his life-to-date. The more time we have, the older we become, the more our perception of experience stretches and lengthens, deepening into what one historian called durée. So those school boys who take you back (and me also) to a moment 22 years ago (when I was one of them) are so alive and beautiful because they live a qualitatively different life. Their experience of every moment is more immediate, more vivid, more present, since an hour to them holds a degree of significance discommensurate with that of their grandparents, to whom the same measure of time may be a trifle.

What do you think?"

Jude is easy to adore. He teaches us the lesson that while patience is learnēd virtue, there is more significant consideration; that love is the first power, the ultimate motivation.

Today I have remembered Camberwell Heights (a house a home I shared with friends James, Rogan and Liz in Wilson Street), my school and its people, a girl I loved in Taiwan and Australia, funnel web spiders and the call of currawongs, Rodney Knock's tie collection, the Prophet, XF Falcons, Donkey Kong and some of the things I should have done yesterday.

(I would have included Star Trek but that occurs to me every day.)

Patience, and love.

The little boy ("He's ours, not yours!" cried Mama Frog so rightly) enforces the lesson of love.

When the cry goes up, the heart strings tug hard.

Zendaddy also remembered today how much he is grateful to the two people who made him. Grateful for the gift of life, for the opportunity of experience. He hopes Judo will feel the same.

Much love to you all, from a heart full of love.