Ambling in Africa: Amble on dude!

Hmmmmm -- don't mind the weather here

It was April last year when I dragged my weary butt off the that flying sausage they call a plane and gleefully reunited with family and friends in Canada. In short order I was enjoying my cozy home and busy with a new job and life. I had successfully unplugged from the messy business of supporting emergency medical intervention with MSF in Africa and found my way back into the Corporate world in the beautiful city of Victoria. Yehaa!!! sort of - more on that later.

I was offered a position working with Amazon and hastily threw in my hat honored to be given the opportunity to work with such an amazing organization. While I had (and generally have) taken issue with the ills of rampant consumerism, there is a social benefit argument that becomes crystal clear when you see the look of gratitude on the face of a single Mother when the Pampers show up the next morning saving her from a trip to Walmart with a sick baby in tow. I get that.

It was also an opportunity to work with some exceptionally talented and dedicated people. Long days and nights threatened to capsize our efforts though the team remained resilient and rose to every challenge presented. I wish the ops team continued success and again thank them for the honor of allowing me to lead that exceptionally talented and dedicated team.

At the same time I had the opportunity to spend a bunch of time with my father. We learned that his time would be coming to an end shortly and set about making the most of the time remaining. What followed was lots of meaningful and at times deeply sad conversations. More often though, we shared numerous belly laughs usually at his expense. It was a day to day kind of thing and he joked about his reluctance to buy green bananas gven the somewhat tenuous hold he had on the days ahead.

Early in life I figured out how to make my Dad laugh and remember one night shortly before his death, making him laugh so hard one I thought it would end him. That would have been unfortunate, and Mom mad -- but what a way to go hey? Laughing to the end. He survived the joke - but just barely. 😊

There is that age old adage or perhaps custom of "paying respect" and I saw that up close as folks travelled from far and wide to do so and talk about how he touched their lives. My Father was the antithesis of a boastful man -- meaning that I got to finally hear the stories about his integrity, honestly and many accomplishments. At the celebration of life, his long time friend also named John talked about his work and put it succcinctly. He was the only guy in the boardroom who would say out loud "what the fuck are you guys thinking!"

Yup that was my Dad. But so too was he that man that loved my mother madly for 54 years. It was a love for the ages inspiring in it's conviction and heart warming in it's tenderness. What a lovely life he lived. Should I become half the man my father was, I'll be satisfied that my own life has been well lived. From the first time read this poem below - I knew it would be the words I would recall as he passed;

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, 
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, 
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum 
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. 

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead 
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead, 
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves, 
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves. 

He was my North, my South, my East and West, 
My working week and my Sunday rest, 
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song; 
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong. 

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one; 
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun; 
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood; 
For nothing now can ever come to any good. 

W H Auden

As 2019 came to a close, "Content in Canada" would hardly describe my reality. Reuniting with friends and family was wonderful and despite the 180 KGs of stuff I brought back from Africa, I somehow left half my soul in Africa and now thought it best that I go back and retrieve it. I was restless.

WE charity asked me if I would like to join their team working in Kenya and I quickly accepted. My new role will be in operations and leadership in the realm of development work. Very close to my heart indeed!. I intend to share my thoughts on this in the blogs ahead so if interested I'd be honored if you were to follow along.

So with that decided, I tidied up the house splashing a bit of paint around and wiped the counters. My new friend Chris rented the house and I hope he and the girls enjoy as much as I have over the last year.

Pictured along side is my new accomodations where I'll spend about half my time. It's within the park so surrounded by the best of Africa. More on this later, but I definately don't mind the weather here!!!!