Sweet 16

Today I think back 16 years. The day Marielle was born! What a sweet bundle of joy she was. I dubbed her "miracle baby", because she was whole, and healthy... because she could see and hear. That was not a "given", since I had had German Measles at 11 weeks into my pregnancy. We had had the option of aborting. It sends shivers down my spine to even say the word. What a beautiful, precious girl I would have missed out on.

So today is a day of deep thankfulness for her life. It is also a day of deep sadness. When one turns 16, you should have a proud daddy by your side who looks at his beautiful princess and sees what she has become.

Tonight we are going to light Chinese lanterns and send them into the sky. Oh don't mistake, I am not superstitious, airy fairy, making wishes on them, or in any way attaching meaning to them. I want them to symbolize something.... sending our light out into the world. These lights also end when the fuel has burnt out, as do we. But they give such pleasure while they are here, and remain in our memories. We are that too, in a dark world, little lights shining out. Let us make a difference to as many people as we can, while we are here.