Senwes Scenario June / July 2016 | Page 48

••• F UT UR E F OC U S ••• JENNY MATHEWS OF LEGENDS AND LEGACIES “FAMILY HISTORY BUILDS BRIDGES BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS OF OUR FAMILIES.” W e have just enjoyed an amazing month of renewing family connections. It must be something to do with the exhausting drought we’ve experienced this year, but we found we really needed this time to give us perspective on truly important things in life: Family ties and friendships are the foundation of a sense of belonging and the building blocks of contentment especially in tough times! “Bridges are not built by accident.” Fifty two souls all connected by blood or marriage, and ranging in age from my skoonpa Charlie, 91, to my new grandson of 4 46 JUN/JUL 2016 months, gathered on the farm for a Mathews family reunion. It was truly special to be given a moment to look at farmlife through diffe­ rent lenses, the eyes of people who have cherished memories of happy childhoods here. Simple things like the smell of freshly harvested mealies or the crisp autumn touch of the evening breeze evoked memories and began conversations with, “Do you remember when...!” Many stories were related, including memories of tough times - like the years during the depression when they sheltered travellers passing by who would work around the farmyard in exchange for food and a bed; or when their father was so badly gored by a bull that he nearly died. I watched the youngsters’ widening eyes when they were told how it was a full days trek to town with the horse and cart to see friends or fetch fresh supplies. They heard how the plains were once “teeming with game” and how Granny Hettie made her famous ‘boereseep’ which a 10-year-old Charlie would load onto the ox-wagons and trek with Boesman, the faithful fa