For Ray

Dear Ray,

Happy birthday. I’m glad I was able to find wi-fi so I can give you your present on the actual day.

We met exactly a year ago, the day before your birthday. The time has flown by in a way, but I also can’t remember what life was like without you.

I wanted to give you something cool for your birthday. You’ve immortalized my name all over Joburg in your graffiti pieces and I struggled to think of something similarly awesome. So I’m immortalizing you in the only way I know how, in my blog.

You know I can’t draw so I asked my friend Fiver to make a sketch of you. I think she captured you perfectly – I hope you like it too.

My life was great before but it’s become immeasurably better with you in it. I think you came at just the right time. Thank you for supporting me and cheering me on and making me laugh and feel happy. Thank you for adding so much color to my already colorful world.

Also, thank you for being so strong and making me feel safe when I freaked out on that desolate mountain road in the Transkei two days ago. (The rest of you reading this won’t know what that means. But you will soon.)

I love you. It’s been an amazing year and I’m looking forward to the next one (and the one after that, and the one after that).

Love, Heather