My Teachers - Thank you

Uncle Bob - for addressing me as if I was his equal - not 'just a child'

Miss Katz - for being the first strong woman I admired - the first of many! But still - the first.

Lisa - for showing me what it was like to have money enough to buy HUGE chocolate bars! And with the challenges you faced - poor little rich girl.

Peter - for teaching me about love at first sight

Tony - for teaching me about double standards

Leigh Anne - for the lessons in saying sorry without saying sorry. For always looking for the positive in life - even  though I only got the message later. Much later. But at least you tried. Not too sure that I wanted that lesson in empty apologies - but clearly I needed it.

Nanny McPhee - when you need me but don't want me, I will be here. When you want me, but don't need me, I will have to leave. Mmmmm - perhaps this is the biggest lesson for me right now!

Marie - your ability to take the bones of the story and flesh it out and make it real.

Elizabeth - your ability to strip a story down to the bones so that I can see everything clearly.

John - for the reminder that I prefer to be impartial, an observer, rather than being passionately bigoted.

Dad - not too sure that you did a good thing allowing me to blatantly lie  - and get away with it. But I did learn about love.......

Vonita - lessons in perseverance and boldness

Renee - you can do whatever you want, no matter what happens or who gets hurt. no matter what.

Richard Bach - who described the lesson of doing whatever you want - no matter what.

Neville, Graham, Pinky, Mr D from the church, Dion, and so many others - I learnt that wedding bands were often merely trinkets. Not everything goes according to the fairytale scripts.

Richard - for letting Lee and I practice...............

Les - pedestals are not always stable places.

Averil - the iconic Victim - completely in denial

Cath, Di, Sue - huge human hearts

Wendy - the courage to make it - thousands of miles from 'home'. And then attracting a beautiful partner to share it. I haven't got this lesson right yet - but there is time.

Gabby - the Child - mine still a bit wrapped up - but shedding the swaddling bands.......

Colin - for the sense of being More Than in your presence.

Brett - appreciation of life and love

Theun - 'see yourself through my eyes'

Mum - lessons on filtering through ones' own lens, and generosity

Angie - a different world view

Doug - choices

Abraham - yum. what else can I say?

Di - gosh, you need a medal, girl. Friendship. Loyalty. Endurance. Contentment. And Dads need to do the after-dark driving for the children.

Adrian - for walking me into my new belief system, despite it being at odds with your own. My life saver. Thank you for your gentleness with me - even during my raging rants.

Many more - for another day - but I have to return to Uncle Bob - I again thank you for treating me like a peer - as Theun reminds me - when I am in doubt of who I am or what I can do - I will look at myself through your eyes. Uncle Bob, I know you passed many many years before I understood your value in my life - but I am sure you know that I am appreciative. Beyond measure.