The Scent of Beauty….

Since we arrived back the sky has done nothing but glower and menace at us and the rains have continued to chuck it down every few hours making sure that everything from our clothes to the kitchen floor is permanently damp and maintains its rainy season fustiness and moldiness.

Even the kitchen floor, permanently wet at this time of year and covered in mud two seconds after its mopping, due to wet mucky feet traipsing through was sparkly clean for at least an hour – small miracles, small miracles.

The plants seemed to unfurl their leaves and bask in the warm rays and we started to feel as if we lived in a beautiful place again, rather than a mud bath. And what a beautiful place it is, there really is nowhere to beat it, when the sun smiles down it is the most beautiful place in the world.

Despite all the doubt, whether we could make a go of this, whether it was reckless or foolish or mad, I feel this is the best choice for our little family – Clear Sky is literally being raised by a village with no end of visitors arriving to BpaI tiow – or go on a little holiday – this is brought home to me when I go to investigate where she’s got to on one of her jaunts, and find her ensconced in a restaurant down the road holding court with about six adults and three kids all of whom are performing a thai dance and singing for her benefit.

She is literally bopping her little socks off along with the highly dubious tune – and all this without the aid of a TV. Priceless. At the end of the day we have very little money, every week is a struggle to keep our heads above water in the most basic of ways, but we are raising our daughter in beauty and nature and with the love and adoration of both her fully present parents and the help, care and support of an entire village. When it is tough, and other aspects make me weep with exhaustion or worry, I can hold on to this strength.

Nong mail also arrived back from her holidays today, and what a sight for sore eyes is this little angel. No longer a baby, she is fast becoming a wondrous girl-child, quieter, a little more cautious perhaps than in her boisterous, romping babyhood, but with the same gorgeous humour and character present in her eyes.

What great hugs we had, and how she and Clear Sky love to be with each other again, rejoicing in each others’ presence. Family, love, strength what could be more beautiful than that? And to top it all I don’t think anything has broken down today.