The fear and pride for a son

My son, the rugby player, returning to his hostel, brace, crutches and all, to be with his team mates.

The Maritzburg College Rugby festival is the biggest of its kind in Africa...but is also fraught with unnessesary dramas. There were two schools who withdrew due to injuries (12 broken clavicles alone in 2 days!!!)

Time to change the rules for schoolboy rugby???

My son as a charming (and whole) little

three year old. How time flies!!

The first day of the annual Maritzburg went off well. Here he's about to catch the ball (and get folded like a tortilla for his efforts)

How does a mother react when her almost 16 year-old man -child is lying of a rugby field screaming in pain???...my reaction was to be cool and controlled while in view of his team and spectators, but was mushy and huggy and full of tears, trying to comfort a bitterly dissappointed and pain-wracked son in the privacy of the emergency room. I said to lots of people that day that "thank goodness, I have only one son who enjoys playing rugby"...but in truth, I would have a hundred such sons...I am just so blessed with this one, a repeat..again and again ...would be a gift indeed.

Today, as a member of the De La Salle Pipe Band, they came first in their section in all divisions at the Lyttleton Mannor High interschools Gathering. This was wonderful for him and a slight buffer for the dissappointment of his injury last week.