Witness

Vivian - you are my witness.

It's been a long time since I had a room mate. Living with your Dadu [Grandpa] is like having a room mate who is a lot of work.

He had a stroke last week. Before that, he was physically slow, not very rational, and difficult to communicate with. Now he is really slow, very irrational, and refuses to talk unless I force him to. But it helps to know that it isn't his fault, as if old age was.

And that you are watching.

Someone said: "Perfect Valor is to do, without a witness, all that we could do before the whole world." I guess I'm not big on valor. But I'd like to think that I'm pretty big on setting an example. I can tell you how to treat your elders till I'm blue in the face and then I can undo it all in a second of not being a good son.

And then there's the selfish part. If you are paying attention (and you never miss a thing), this may be the biggest influence of how you treat me if I live past 60.

Someone else old and wise said: "The days that are still to come are the wisest witnesses." When I lack the courage and the strength to do the right thing for the sake of the days that are still to come, all I need to do is to look into your eyes, Vivian.

Years

Twenty five, ten, and four years.

It's been twenty five years since I first set foot in Austin. August 1985 - a few days before school started - for new student orientation. Austin has been a good home.

Last month in South Africa, one evening I realized that it was the tenth anniversary of selling Neonyoyo. Time to get off my ass.

Yesterday four years ago Arjun was killed while riding his bike on 360. Not long enough to forget the sound of hearts being ripped open.

Back to Grace

Parents and kids were invited yesterday to meet their new teachers at Vivian's school. It was great to see her new class and meet her new teachers and say hello to Ava and visit with Ms. Mary.

When we walked in through the church doors, there was a crowd of parents and kids and church and school people milling around. While Jo and Evan and myself were looking around and finding our bearings, I noticed that Vivian was greeting and hugging friends and making new ones. One such person was Pastor Paul, who I had never met before. He noticed my eyes following Vivian and asked "Is that one yours?"

I confessed that she was. He said "For someone so young she is full of energy and open to life". I agreed. Then I told him how she had been counting the days till she could get back to school and how last year she would kiss the doors of the church before entering because she enjoyed school so much.

Pastor Paul's eyes opened wider. He looked straight into mine. Then he said very seriously "You know she'll be President one day".

Teenagers Driving to a Pool Party

* I borrowed the last photograph from KV's FB photos.