\u201cMa moet nou nie Woensdag rooi aantrek nie,\u201d kom my kerriekopkind se woorde oor die foon op die dag wat ek moes besluit wat ek gaan inpak vir sy gradeplegtigheid in Bloemfontein. <\/p>\n
Dis tog my gunsteling kleur, en vir wat sal die kind nou d\u00edt s\u00ea? Natuurlik! . . . tref dit my. Sy toga gaan rooi wees. Die rooi togas is die akademiese erkenning vir \u2019n doktorsgraad. <\/p>\n
Na tien jaar se bankvas sit om te skryf, oor te skryf, deurdruk, aanhou, moedhou, uithou en seer o\u00eb, is die tesis afgehandel. Onder die bekwame leiding van dr. Lindie Koorts, het my seun sy PhD in geskiedenis behaal. <\/p>\n
Geskiedenis was van vroeg af sy gunsteling vak, hoewel hy eers in matriek dit een van sy vakke gemaak het, en eindelik \u2019n onderskeiding daarvoor gekry het. Toe weet ek: dis sy passie. En as mens jou passie gevind het, is jy gelukkig. Sy prestasie, sy harde werk en sy toewyding word nou beloon.<\/p>\n
Toe sy naam uitgelees word, en hy met sy vellies op die verhoog stap met daai helder rooi toga en die swart hoofbedekking, het trane oor my wange gerol. Terwyl Dr. Koorts \u2019n opsomming van sy tesis lees, hoor ek dit net vaagweg . . . my dankbaarheid en trots bars deur my o\u00eb. My dogter Erika en skoonseun Dawson neem foto\u2019s. Die oomblik is so groot en dit gaan so gou verby. My poging vir foto\u2019s neem is nutteloos. Hy kniel voor die vise-kansellier vir die tikkie op die kop, en die band word formeel om sy nek gehang. <\/p>\n
Soveel dinge flits deur my gedagtes: Sy kleinseuntjie-dae as die parmantige wolf in die kleuterskoolkonsert, kordate voordragte by die kunswedstryde, en die redenaarstoesprake met selfvertroue. Maar dis sy mens-wees en skerp humorsin, speel met woorde, wat hom \u2019n lekker mens maak. As enkelouer dink ek aan opdraendes, opofferings, gebede en gesprekke van aanmoediging \u2013 en uittrap \u2013 wat dalk gehelp het. Daar sit die kerriekop nou tussen \u2019n handjievol ander rooi togas. <\/p>\n
Terug by die huis vertel my broer Japie my van \u2019n ander enkelouer, wat nie haar dogter se rooi togaseremonie kon bywoon nie. Sarie Hamman werk al dertien jaar by \u2019n hardewarewinkel. Haar dogter Nicolene het haar doktorsgraad in ekonomie aan die Nelson Mandela Universiteit behaal. Sarie het haar siel gegee vir haar dogter se geleerdheid. Haar verlof verkoop om geld te h\u00ea, haar salaris weekliks laat uitbetaal, haar dogter \u2019n jaar lank versorg tydens \u2019n siekte, tot sy van haar tweede jaar af beurse gekry het.<\/p>\n
\u201cSy wou nie die seremonies bywoon van haar meesters- of doktorsgrade nie, so het ek nou nie gesien hoe sy oor \u2019n verhoog stap nie. Maar my hart juig, soos net \u2019n ma s\u2019n kan. My kind is skrander en ek is uit my hart trots op haar dat sy op 28 so ver gekom het. Sy het seker haar pa, \u2019n onderwyser, se verstand gekry. Ek het haar ondersteun met alles in my,\u201d s\u00ea Sarie agter die kasregister. \u201cEn sy het ook \u2019n graad by die Bybelskool behaal so twee jaar gelede,\u201d spog sy nederig verder. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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