Love seems ever elusive these days when suddenly,  I received a text from my 17 year old niece! As a young adult, she’s coming for her first visit to check out the university to craft her future.

I’m told we have only 3 hours together!  Arghhhh….it’s that same sinking feeling, being caught in a fire and having to choose what to take in a split second.  What to pick? Where to go?  How to plan?  What to do? Squeezing a lifetime into 3 hours? IMPOSSIBLE!  My mind shatters into a million pieces.  My heart hurts. Panic sets in.  Pressure’s on. Words tumble out so fast, nothing makes sense. This is love.

Like rally car drivers in a race against time, we have a strategy, sort of…play it by ear.  First, meet for lunch at Fresh, except she’s not into vegan, ooops, saved by the yummy bowl of sweet potato fries (whew!) and a goji-berry concoction,

hop into car, choose a route, Rosedale Valley Road, blooming with fall colours, hop out of the car to admire Evergreen Brickworks,

jump back in car, and then out again for tea and chocolate desserts at Rahier,

in the car and out again to visit my flat and its breathtaking views,

and all the while, dreading the end, delivering her back to her father.

Now we’re standing at the threshold of her grandma’s house so we hug.  We hug again, a little tighter this time.  My heartstrings tug, actually, yank.  It hurts to let her go.  She’s strong, no, she’s stalwart, thank goodness.  She reassures me that Christmas is just around the corner.

To know love is to feel love. There’s nothing in life that compares, so exquisite, so rare, so elusive….and off she goes and here I’ll stay … in love once more.