From right: My mother, grandmother, grandfather, and my mother's best friend.
I attended a birthday party today; my mother's best friend turned 90 during the week. They have been friends for 75 years.
And so, in honour of the occasion, here’s my mother's speech at her bestie's birthday:
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Celebrating a birthday is a happy and memorable event in everyone’s lives, but when we are witness to a loved one reaching the age of 90 years, it’s cause for special joy and celebration.
I am very happy and thankful to the Lord that I am gifted to be with my beloved friend of some 75 years.
Ann and I met when we both started our high school education at the Durban Indian Girls’ High School. We matriculated together, after which Ann became a teacher and started teaching at the Dartnell Crescent Girls’ School in Durban.
I entered university and also trained as a teacher and taught at the Clairwood High School. Even though we worked at different schools, we never lost contact with each other. On the contrary, Ann became very much a part of our family at Henwood Road.
In 1958 my father decided to go on a tour of India. Ann and I took long leave from school and went with my parents on this tour. We left by the ship ‘The Karanja’ and spent eight months touring India.
One of the highlights of our trip was our pilgrimage to Rishikesh, where we met Gurudev Swami Sivananda in person and spent some glorious days at his Ashram, which is situated along the sacred Ganges River.
We attended Satsang in the evenings, and Gurudev placed one arm around each of us when he introduced us to the assembled devotees at Satsang, and he said, “One is a diamond, and one is an emerald. One is a jasmine, and one is a rose.”
When we came back to South Africa, Anamah lived with us for some months because we had become so close. She called my mother “Amma”, and my father “Dada” just as I did.
During this time, Ann got engaged to marry Dave Naidu, and when she got married at the Umgeni Road Temple, my mother decorated her hair in the style of the Indian bride.
Ann went back to teaching, and was promoted to vice-principal. Ann later became principal of the Juma Masjid School until she retired.
She has two children, Asokan and Vanessa, both of whom have made their mark in the world of commerce and industry
Friends, when you reach a ripe old age as Anamah and I have, there is much joy in recalling all our good experiences, but the sad part is watching our contemporaries fading out of existence. When this happens, we have to bless the Lord for all the memories that enriched our lives, and thank him for this gift.
I pray that Ann will dwell on the good life and memories that she has to fall back on, and always enjoy good health and happiness.
My mother (left) and her best friend today
