Safe, secure and loved

In many respects my childhood was typical of most kiwis. I walked to school, played outside on my bike until it was dark and wandered the immediate neighbourhood with my friends, siblings and cousins. What probably wasn’t so typical was the strong Croatian family overlay - you see my Dad’s side of the family all lived in the same street (Divich Avenue)* and within a 200m radius. This is very much how my relatives in Croatia live to this day. It meant that I grew up surrounded by parents, siblings, cousins, aunties, uncles and my Baba (grandmother). I always had someone to hang out with. I was used to everyone knowing my business, being told off my numerous family members, being talked about in Serbia-Croatian and having no idea what was being said about me and feeling safe, secure and loved.

I was a really social child, teenager and young adult. As I grew older and my responsibilities grew alongside my chronological age I’ve become less social. So it has surprised me just how many people have reached out to me since my cancer diagnosis.

Thank you family, friends, workmates, neighbours, professional colleagues, clients and experts for the visits, flowers, chocolates, cakes, meals, books, gifts, magazines, gin, wine, care packages, my pet rock, Slovenian iconography, messages and cards. I am still in flowers weeks after my diagnosis and surgery. It means a lot to me to know that I have touched your life. You have touched mine too.

I am also grateful for the prayers, thoughts, vibes and love - it is comforting to know I have a very crowded corner, you are my other (non medical) team helping and supporting me to get better.

I feel very much as I did as a child - safe, secure and loved.

* As an aside I once received a letter (a long time ago, in the 90s, before email) from Hong Kong addressed to Frana Divich, Divich Avenue, Divich South, Divichland, New Divich (New Zealand). Hilariously it got to me. Thanks for the reminder Dawnie 😍