A world citizen

Daniel asked us to paint both the French flag (his uncle and aunt live there, and it’s the only stamp in his passport – so far) and the South African flag on his face.

His uncle Neel is a true citizen of the world. He calls Paris home, but in the past three months his job has taken him to 13 different countries around the world. That adds up to 32 international flights. Sounds incredible, but is it really? I’m sure the actual world is still the same size, but somehow it feels like a much smaller place these days, doesn’t it? Kids go on overseas trips for school outings (in my day we only went to Mossel Bay! :-), and when I was a child the outside world came to us in daily doses via the newspaper and the six o’clock news on the TV – just compare that to the constant flood of information pouring out of our computers and mobiles every single second – or so it seems.

It makes me wonder about my little boy. Where will he end up one day? How big will his world be? My hopes for him include the opportunities to travel and broaden his horizons. To find a home where he feels a real sense of belonging. To love South Africa, regardless of his post office address.

“Love your country. Your country is the land where your parents sleep, where is spoken that language in which the chosen of your heart, blushing, whispered the first word of love; it is the home that God has given you that by striving to perfect yourselves therein you may prepare to ascend to him.”
Guiseppe Mazzini

Image credits: All photography by me