Riyah Elizabeth
The 31st of May is always a special day for me, and my family.. in particular my older sister Carrie.
The last day of May, 2015, I was well settled into life in the UK, my fourth venture to England became a permanent stay for me. It was a brilliant idea, and one I can endorse to anyone given the opportunity arises.
My best friend and his girlfriend at the time (now wife) Matt and Stacey had already been living in London for a good 14-15 months already, and were extremely well travelled throughout the European continent — we decided to do a weekend trip together to a destination none of us had been to before…
…Oxford!
Such a beautiful city with extremely delicate architecture street for street, humorous and humble personal, a brilliant community from what I could gather.
When in Oxford it is near on impossible to miss a glimpse of the University, a campus that was build around years 1090-1100 and covers most of the inner city. To think who has been through there, the British prime ministers to folk alike, the international leaders, Stephen Hawking to Oscar Wilde. We done a walking tour and got pointed to the window where the internet was first created. Weather that is a myth or not remains, but pretty cool none the less.
Before I conclude the next part of the story I just have to mention, a part of the tour takes you past a pub called The Bear Inn, founded in 1242. Anyone taller than 5 foot 8 has a great chance of knocking their head on the ceiling, whilst admiring all of the tie cut offs from students of various colleges, sports teams & clubs from the past century.
The barman can elaborate more on that for you.
Anyway, walking on. A cafe pops up on the last section of our walking tour. The cafe didn’t interest us too much, but the steep staircase up the chapel the cafe was based under for the view caught our eye.
The building being “University Church of St Mary the Virgin”. One of the best views of Oxford itself, and a special artefact and contributor to the history of the University from around 1086.
What blows me away is that the building we are standing in at the top, along with the rest of Oxford (and most of England), is a good 600 years or so older than the country I am from and grew up in - New Zealand.
Whilst that was on my mind, I thought I would capture the moment and send a message to my family back home in our “group chat” online.. whilst looking over at the window the internet was apparently made in. Irony.
Before I could send the message, my mother had already texted with a photo attached.
“Congratulations Sam, you are now an uncle. Welcome to the world, Riyah Elizabeth”
Holy heck! What a life changing moment. I was very fortunate to have my best friends with me there, the whirlwind of emotion that threw itself through me, the love, missing my family all of a sudden, becoming what I wanted to be as the best uncle I could endeavour.
Needless to say, I took a few moments before we wrapped up our view and tour and Matt promptly suggested we go for a drink to celebrate.
I believe I got relatively well on my way before calling it a night, thanks Riyah! Finished my first day as an uncle quiet intoxicated, started my next day as an uncle reasonably hungover with a sore back. All for the good times and celebrations for my family.
My brother and I became uncles, my younger sister became an aunty.
My parents became grandparents, but more importantly, my sister became a mother, and that is what she will be forever, and I am entirely grateful for her, her husband, and now seven years on the three healthy children she has.
My younger brother followed the path not too long after, and has three magnificent children of his own.
I move to the UK with no nieces and nephews, and return to our home land with six.
I love my family (as we all do!), to pieces.
The 31st of May is a date that each year will be extremely significant for me.
Thank you for reading, if you are still with me.
Love your family, celebrate their being. They are a special bunch.
SBG
