About this blog

My only daughter's name is Clea. Clea was six years and nine months old and she was enjoying a family holiday in Samoa when the ocean surged as a wall, ten metres high, and drowned her. Many other people died that morning of 29 September 2009.
The other four members of her family survived the tsunami.
Life has never been the same since. It will never be the same. This blog features memories, reflections, poetry, etc...
Just let me stay with her under this moon,
hold her in my arms, spin her in the air,
with my dear daughter in some timeless swoon.

Thursday 3 January 2019

16 today


You should have been 16 today. You should have been.
I would, or I should, have given you a present today, for your 16th birthday. A very special one. Already a young woman, or very close to being one. My little one, mi babita.
But I cannot give you your present, because you are not here.
Yet here is your present, one you would have liked to see, without any doubt. A present we can share with whoever chooses to have a look here.
A few starfish. Like the one you and I found on the southern shores of Upolu barely 48 hours before the ocean rushed in and drowned you.
That starfish was dead. These were alive and happily greeted us from the shores of a beautiful lagoon in Vanuatu. I gathered them and put them all together – like a team! So I could take the picture for you, for your birthday. Can you see them, Clea? Can you see your birthday present? Aren’t they beautiful? Beautiful, like you were, like you would have been today. 
Loveya, babita. Always.

Publicat per a
Etiquetes de comentaris: , , ,

18 comments:

  1. Mrs Otten3 January 2019 at 21:49

    As always these are beautiful words Jorge. She is not forgotten xo Nat and family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown3 January 2019 at 22:33

    Jorge.... she would have loved to see the starfish without a doubt! I can not believe she would have been 16 today. Tomorrow my Elsie Clea will be 7. I spoke to Elsie today about Clea.... and told he me what a special girl she was. I think of her often. Her smile is never forgotten in my mind. Lots of love!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anneke_703 January 2019 at 22:38

    We didn’t have the pleasure to know your Clea.....a young girl now sweet 16, I’m sure she has seen your starfish Jorge and she is never far from all of you..... her beloved family �� Glenn, Anneke, Kial, Calam 🤗

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lauren T3 January 2019 at 22:50

    Clea would have loved her birthday present, Jorge. As always, Clea and you, Trudie, Jordi and Omar are always in my thoughts. Xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Steve May3 January 2019 at 23:23

    Beautiful words, Jorge. Thoughts are with you all on Clea's birthday.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown3 January 2019 at 23:38

    What a lovely and heart wrenching gesture you made for your amazing little girl. I'm hoping she could see them..... xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous3 January 2019 at 23:56

    They are beautiful words. She was a gorgeous girl. I still remember her bunny hopping along the side of my pram excitedly telling me all her news. She is missed. Love Caroline and Paige xox

    ReplyDelete
  8. Belinda4 January 2019 at 00:00

    Thanks for sharing Clea’s beautiful present, Jorge.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Michele Calder4 January 2019 at 00:11

    Jorge you have done a wonderful job writing this in honour of your beautiful precious sister. She will always be in our hearts xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous4 January 2019 at 00:22

    Beautifully written Jorge. Clea would love those star fish. She will always be in our hearts xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kylie4 January 2019 at 00:45

    I think of Clea, and you all often. You write beautifully of her Jorge. Thank you for sharing. Happy Birthday beautiful angel. Kylie Cvitanovic

    ReplyDelete
  12. Willa McIntye4 January 2019 at 01:21

    Beautiful words Jorge. I will always think of your Clea when I see a starfish now.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jenny Joe Spooner4 January 2019 at 01:24

    I am sure Clea would have loved seeing the starfish for her 16th birthday. Thinking of you all. 🎉🎉

    ReplyDelete
  14. Raph4 January 2019 at 01:33

    Thinking of you all. Raph

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous4 January 2019 at 02:02

    A beautiful present. Thinking of you all today and sending a birthday kiss for Clea. Love from Karen xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  16. Maria4 January 2019 at 04:33

    Moments of time buried in our hearts. Abrazos Maria

    ReplyDelete
  17. Susan Everingham4 January 2019 at 05:55

    Beautiful Jorge. We’re thinking of you and of Clea today.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Jorge7 January 2019 at 18:58

    Thank you all for your kind words.
    Jorge

    ReplyDelete

Do you have something to say? I would like to hear from you.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)