I just got home from work and went up to see what Nattie was doing. She was busily working away on her computer. I looked over her shoulder and saw that she had a picture of her and Kay together. I asked her what she was doing and she proceeded to show me a beautiful Powerpoint slideshow that she's making about Kay's life. She has downloaded her favourite pictures of Kay from my Flickr collection and, one by one, is adding them into her slideshow. She has added text to each slide describing Kay or the scene and has fully animated the transitions and the slide timing.
I had an explosion of reactions: astonishment that she could find her way round Powerpoint so well, pride in my clever daughter and the deed that she was doing, wonder that she has the strength and ability to do such a thing, concern that that quiet mind is still so busy with Kay in such a "silent waters run deep" way. And of course GRIEF. I asked her why she was making the slideshow, whether it was a project for school. She replied, "Just because".
My eyes started to fill up and my voice choked off. I managed to tell her that it was wonderful and made me very emotional before hurrying out. Once I'd recovered my equilibruim I went back and encouraged her to continue.
What an amazing child. What an act of love. I don't think possibly bring myself to attempt such a thing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
But you have! You've been working with the pictures these last weeks - framing them, hanging them, filing them.
ReplyDeleteSo many instances will catch you off-guard, and this is one to treasure for ever.
Hang in there Rob, thinking of you all the time.
Loads of love and a big, big hug to all.
Linda xx
What a wonderfull child you have. Amazing. Beautiful, I have no words for it. My love to you all, pass a special hug to Marion from me. Marie-Cecile
ReplyDeleteNattie... well done again and again. You are wonderful beyond words! Aunty Ali :o) xxx
ReplyDeleteSounds like we all have a lot to learn from Nattie! Such a treasure, she is!
ReplyDeleteWow!! Thats beautiful. Well done Nattie- does she give IT lessons 'cos put my name down!!
ReplyDeleteThinking of you all the time. Giant hugs to you all from
Little Cousin Lynne
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Rob,I agree with Lynne can I be second on her list of tutees,what a brilliant young girl she is.Uncle John
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of superstars the Howe family are. And what a marvellous and extraordinary thing that you and Marion are the parents of such lovely children. The love in you has shaped and moulded them. And yet more wonderfully the love in them is shaping and moulding you, too, Lauren's and Kay's and Nattie's. This is "the love that binds". It makes us laugh and cry out for joy; it makes us howl, at times, with deepest grief. But whether in joy or in pain there IS a Great Love that binds, that holds us together, that, whether on earth or in heaven, helps us to RE-member - to "bring to the forefront of life again" - where we've come from, and where we're going. Well done Nattie for doing that kind of remembering: "Just because". Best love and big hugs, as ever: Simon M
ReplyDeleteNattie, If I teach you how to knit, will you teach me how to compute? I will be over at Christmas and I am just longing to give you a big kiss and a hugs for you all.from Granny XXX hug hug hug !
ReplyDeleteDie Nattie is een prachtig kind. In Frankrijk was ik iedere ochtend vroeg wakker. Op een ochtend kwam Nattie ook naar beneden en pakte haar IPod. Ze heeft me toen alle dansfilmpjes van Kay laten zien en vertelde me hoe goed Kay kon dansen. Het was vertederend om haar zo liefdevol over haar zus te horen vertellen. Daarna hebben Nattie en ik samen in de keuken staan dansen op Californian Girls...
ReplyDeleteJust got PowerPoint 2011 for Mac, one month after making the transition from PowerPoint 2007 for PC. Now the nightmare of learning another software interface begins again. One month without the "ribbon" I was getting used to floating windows, now I have got the ribbon back. But of course, the Mac has dropped all of my system preferences and I have to go and learn how to make them again in the new system interface.
ReplyDeleteBut one day it will all be beautifuL