A tear of pride
I must admit I shed a tear of pride on Saturday night as I watched one particular player make his debut for the All Blacks in the test against England. I didn’t even know him, so my emotion surprised me. However, I did know his father and his grandparents and it was for them that I felt the pride.
I first met the grandparents years ago when I met my former husband, Paul. Both Paul and the grandfather, Peter, were shearers. I had arrived back home in New Zealand, broke, after my 18-month OE. I got a job in the local shearing gang to earn some quick money. In those days, shearers drank a lot and we had many a night together in the local pub. Some years later, after having moved to Northland to buy a farm and then back again as Paul wanted to resume shearing, Paul worked for Peter, who ran his own gang. We also knew Peter’s brothers and sisters. They were a lovely family. At that time, Peter’s son, Peter Lee, was a schoolboy. He is now the father of this All Black who had his first game on Saturday night, and who I must say, played very well. Peter also became best friends with Paul’s nephew while at school.
Paul and I moved back to Northland, where he took a farm-managing job. Some years later, I returned to New Plymouth where I had trained as a journalist, and secured a job on the local paper. I had only been working a few weeks when Peter’s middle son, and older brother of Peter Lee, Clint, was killed in a car accident. Clint had travelled up to Northland to help with our shearing when we’d lived there. He was a lovely boy. I travelled the two hours to his funeral. It was such a sad occasion. Later, my own son, Daniel, played rugby with Peter Lee, who, from memory, was the coach. Then Daniel was killed in a car accident as well, and some of Peter Lee’s family travelled up to his funeral. Peter had passed away by this stage. So, there was a fair bit of intertwining between our two families. I know Peter Lee and his children have stayed with my kids, I am not sure I remember meeting the young rugby star, but I am so delighted for the family. All that grief they went through with the loss of their son and brother, seems to have been rewarded with this youngster’s inclusion into the All Black side.
When one looks at the bigger picture in life, there are always up and downs. Great sorrows are often followed by great ups as well, as in this case. I am a great believer that Daniel looks over and out for us all – a positive that has come from the grief we have all faced.
Go Cortez Ratima. May you have a long and illustrious career on the rugby field.