Bless you Samson ...

Well the day came and went for us all to say goodbye to Samson ... and his farewell post is only happening now ... I had to get used to him going and it's taken a while ... you've been such a good friend!

Samson ... we all felt very, very loved by you.

A little man with a heart of biblical proportion and capacity for profound patience.

When energy is being put into creating more love and understanding, Samson is there and shows he can wait forever while this is happening ... in good faith that it will happen and is the only thing that matters to happen.  This quality in you I've got to know over time.   It's very much patience for love to prevail.

Everyone of us has felt this from you and felt deeply cared about by you in it for sure.

Why it is that the words 'biblical proportion' came for your heart ... I'm not quite sure ... maybe your story is unfolding into something just as epic.

My memories of you Samson have a wave of deep gentleness running through them.   You love to have fun and can play with the best of them, yet even in your early days, there'd be lots of time where you'd be still and gentle as if in deep contemplation ... and it helped make our little gang find safety with each other.

You've been a loyal and loving friend, and open to finding ways that work for us all ... not really one to complain, you'd just get this little squeak in your voice when you didn't really like what we decided to do, and would say in your own little scrunched up Samson way, 'I don't ree-ally want to do that.'

Don't get me wrong, you've got lots to say and you're heaps of fun and you'll stand your ground when you need, yet overall, the deep gentle soul presides.

I think your last day said it all ... we had decided the only way to say goodbye was to have a party and together the children decided it was to be a, 'We love you Samson' party.

Where could we do that, of course only under the Oak tree that had been our favourite stomping ground over recent months ...

As we walked under the tree on that last day, feeling our love for you and very excited to be able to share it with you and celebrate you ... all little folk bouncing round in joy ... we made a couple of discoveries.

The first was a wreath made of spindly branches that was adorned with blue butterflies with gold sparkles on their wings.

'Look, this must be for Samson's party' was first cry.

Samson looked and said with a appreciative and accepting sigh, 'It's blue and gold my favourite colours.' ... and then he put his hand into the center of the wreath and picked up a rock which was sitting there.   Painted on the rock were the letters SB ... Samson's initials.   You took the rock in your hand as if of course it would be there and said, 'That's my power rock.'

Of all the days and all the places for those things to be manifest under the Oak tree ... there could have been none more perfect.   We were in the perfect place and exactly the right time doing what was meant to be done.   What was most beautiful of all was the innocent joy the children received our gifts  in ... they just naturally responded with the knowing, that course we live in abundant universe ... and we will be provided with all we need.

Together the children decided the wreath belonged at the centre of our picnic and they decorated it with loads of nasturtiums ... and we all shared our love and appreciation for you Samson.

We will miss you and saw an era close with your goodbye.   For Dominic, Anna, Harvey and you have been part of farm culture for a very long time now and your goodbye closes that time.

I love that you were all heading off together for a month in Bali and know ... through Anna, that you've found the beach is great, the pool is great and they have really great biscuits in Bali too :)   The world with out bickies wouldn't quite be the right world for you Samson ... glad to know Bali has obliged.

We love you Samson and we miss you ... and we often laugh and smile when we talk about our times with you.  I know Anna and Dominic will create the most wonderful opportunities for you in your life as they already are and with big brother Harvey in the mix ... it's bound to be an epic adventure ... one of biblical proportions I'm sure.

Bless you Samson ... as you've deeply blessed all of us.