The party

I’ve never had ten fiesty young women around for a birthday party.

At the start of the day, the rain and the associated dread - what if I have to host games all day inside? There was no need to be concerned - for the girls arrived with all the necessary energy and magic - all I had to do was relax and enjoy myself.

The cake had been made, sushi rolled and magic hunt set up. The rest, like life does, took care of itself.

My heart opened as I watched their joy - running in the wet - enthralled with the chase games, the watching of Milly and Yoko dancing like stars before their eyes.

Everything was perfect and everything was good.

The fire was good, the wet, fragrant earth was good, the pulsating brown river flooded with thousands of tons of the tears of the sky, was good.

Nothing was out of place and the adults talked and drank coffee by the fire - I engaged a father in mid life transition conversation and was fully present. The party was a blinding success - but most importantly - from my perspective - as well as my daughter’s.

And I feel this way because I did not sweat the small stuff, held my own and breathed in deep when the inevitable stress moments came.

Well done me, well done all!