Riding High.

An idyllic childhood in the village.

In life it is the little moments or glimpses that make me realize how special and actually simple it is. No need to make it so complicated and convoluted.

On a lot of Tuesdays I accompany some villagers to the doctor's ( blood taking day ) and the village shop. Often I spend some time waiting but I don't mind as it gives me the time to catch those special snippets about the essence of life.

Standing outside the grocery shop yesterday, trying to catch some shade while waiting I met some locals, had a few chats and one or two querying looks. No, I wasn't loitering, merely waiting. For some of the elderly folks without a car, spending time at the local shop is akin to us meandering down a shopping mall. They love it and I don't mind giving them this pleasure.

I had parked right outside the shop on the corner of the driveway. Suddenly I heard the sound of a big tractor firing up and approaching out of this driveway. A huge tractor with an even bigger steely orchestra of sharp cutting blades encased in a sort of drum bouncing along behind it. Not the kind of tractor you'd want to meet on a narrow lane. The front wheels were almost the same size as me.

A young farmer with one of his sons ( about 5 years old ) sitting beside him in the glass encased cabin driving to the office or should I say field. The way farmers can nimbly steer and drive these huge tractors around tight spaces is amazing to see. Most impressive.

This boy was beaming from ear to ear and observing everything from up high on his perch. His father was manoevering his tractor expertly within the proverbial inch and has all my admiration for that. Somehow equating it with my measure of space to spare while exiting a parking space, I was halfway to my car in order to move it but of course there was no need.

Seeing the joy on this little boy's face reminded me of how simple a happy life can be. A childhood spent in the country doing fun things, driving on a tractor, playing outside, helping tend cattle and more importantly forming those foundations we need to weather most of life's more difficult experiences.

Biggi