Isn't she beautiful?I don't know her very well.
For a few years back in the 90s I spent a lot of time with her parents, especially her dad, who worked at the same place as me. He was one of my best and closest friends. But that was over 10 years ago now. I went to live overseas for a year and never returned - and in the meantime she came into existence and was born and became a toddler and then a little girl and then a young girl. In all that time, I've spent maybe a whole day in her presence. In two hour fragments, up to 18 months apart.
These fragments form a rough sense of her life... an 18-month old stubbornly insisting on using chopsticks to eat her rice... a three-year old using toilet roll binoculars to spot goats at the zoo... a three-and-a-half-year old proudly cuddling her new baby brother...a four-and-a-half-year old diving into a pool and colouring in princess drawings... a five-and-a-half-year old playing with my niece... a six-and-a-half-year old dutifully giving me a kiss... a seven-and-a-half year old playing Wii tennis. It's not much though.
The last time I saw her, she asked why I was taking so many photos. Because I don't see you very often, I replied. Because I want at least some record of this lovely girl whose childhood is passing me right by, is what I didn't say.
I don't imagine she has any sense of me, this stranger who appears every now and again with late Christmas and birthday presents.
And I'm late again this year in wishing her a happy birthday. But Anja, despite my almost complete lack of contact with you, I'd like you to know that I think of you often, and worry about whether you'll like clothes that I want to buy for you, and that even though we don't know one another I am still fiercely proud to be your godmother.
And that I hope one day, we will know each other.
Happy (slightly late) 8th birthday!!!
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