Wilderness : Southern Cape : TEN : Life is just beginning

WILDERNESS : LIFE IS JUST BEGINNING : EPISODE 10 : CYCLE COMPLETE : THE MEANING OF TEN.

I gathered and priced all my craft goodies nice and early to join the Wilderness Talent Market at noon on a gloriously sunny spring day. I wondered into whose home my recently completed Peace Chain would go. I lovingly stitched Shanti, Salaam, Peace in small chain stitches on every third squared patch of material, with an Om Shanti prayer. It needed a nice cosy room. The awesomely spectacular views between Knysna and Wilderness never fail to make any downcast soul smile. A downcast soul this time around was my sulking teenager who had to do Math during the Spring holiday break. Tough love. Math is to be done. The forests of tall staggering pines on both sides of the road, the sea breezes blowing in, the limitless blue sky, sparkling rippling waters, the vastness of Mother Nature….she could not but be affected by this wave of Unconditional Love embracing us as the battered car upped the turns and bends.

WILDERNESS … The word itself conjures up images of man/woman unrestrained, in his-her natural state, delighting in the wild, questing, seeking, exploring, unconfined – This is the area where the TALENT market was to be held, on top of Wilderness Heights, up a curvy, untarred, bumpity-bump road, to Asante Farm. The entrance mosaic to the farm fills one with a sense of peace, of arrival and belonging. It seemed complete, yet incomplete, a riddle that need not be answered. Stall owners were setting up or putting down colourful blankets, hanging up dream-catchers and T-shirts, setting up gas stoves, putting on kettles. Landi, owner of the farm was there in her farmer’s wife spring outfit, complete with girdle and talent sheets, with warm fat arms and a smile to die for. Competent Mother Nature incarnate, all giving, if ever there was one.

If this was not Heaven, then what was ? Life is just beginning. In the far corner, the kiddies had a bonfire going and were testing their skill at burning twigs to just before it came half-way. I was puzzled at how these kiddies played unsupervised, yet in total control of their game. FIRE was going strongly, toddlers toddled around in bright outfits, barefoot. No fear was evident. In the deep recesses of my mind, the phrase came to the fore – “Fear not, when I am near”, and “There is nothing to fear. “ I remembered to underline these phrases.

I hung up my Peace Chain with the TEN squares, set out the beaded hearts, heart-decorated tablemats, then sauntered to check out goodies at neighboring stalls. I encouraged my teen to have an open air massage, which, to her detriment, she decided against, opting instead for hand reflexology.

Suni did my massage, niggling tight spots along my spine, unwinding the 72 000 nerves up the back, wrinkling out folded lower back muscles, then up to glands behind the ears and points all around the skull. Slowly I released old traumas that had come to the fore, to sounds of Hannelie Khoury’s folk tunes and guitar.

The smell of falafel drifted past, the cock crowed in broad sunlight, the horse neighed, the dogs barked. Where was I ? A hound being fed falafel, a horse nudging the fence eyeing my TEN point Peace Chain. Did she want it as a necklace ? Suni kept urging me to BREATHE. Breathe. “I am opening up your chest “, she urged. I breathed. All was well. Life is just beginning.

Then back to vertical position and a haziness. Ofcourse, this was the material realm and food seemed necessary. The best pizza in the Wilderness, prepared with utmost love in an oven surrounded by beautiful maidens and a pizza-maker who was dishing veggies surrounded by crystals, books, comfy couches, an ambience of relaxed naturalness. The feta melted, yet firm, the tomatoes fresh and blood red, the spinach tasty, the olives spluttering juice which dribbled down our chins. Just the right amount of cheese. Life was just beginning.

Then there was this stall owner, Mark, from Mark’s Delights, who was selling decadent raw cacao cake slices. Its base contained cashew nut and date pressed together with coconut oil, a melt in the mouth delight, which touched no heat at all. Rawlicious to perfection. He handled the cakes as if they were Olympic trophies, which they were !! It was not long before all his cake was SOLD OUT, so was the divine cashew nut cheese.

My Peace Chain happily smiled at all the buyers who oohed and aahed. One buyer, with a smile and eyes matching the Shanti stitches and beyond, so gentle was her aura, and so respectfully did she present her talents and curled up rands, that I could not be more delighted for the exchange. This buyer lived in my previous hometown, Muizenberg of the endless white sand and expansive beach ! She lived in the same street in which I lived a decade ago ! Lo and behold … A circle of TEN years. Ten - the number of completion. Ten – the number of perfection. Ten – the number of maximum achievement. There were ten squares on that Peace Chain. Ten, a spiritual cycle complete, preparation for the next venture, for greater work. Ten – the death of the little ego and a re-birth. Ten, a high emotional stability number.

My buyer said she will treasure the Chain and I, will treasure the smile in her eyes. Life is just beginning. ===============================================================