An ephemeral moment

He wakes up and peers out his bedroom window. The sun is shining so clear and bright.

His heart pounds happily as he notices the wind. The trees down the road are bending and twisting, their pom pom branches rustling with leaves.

Addy is a scrawny, spirited little boy. His skinny legs hold up his body nimbly.  His arms are long and thin and his head and large blue eyes are still being grown into.

His baggy khaki green pants hang over his runners. He smiles as he pulls his favourite t-shirt over his head.
“Dad, let’s go!”

“Quickly, I don’t wanna miss it,” he shrieks down the hallway running into the garage.

“Sit down Addy, you need to eat your breakfast.”

A father sees his son’s eye, intent on getting out of the house and into the windy world outside.

“Here,” he hands Addy some toast.

“Just take this then and eat it on the way little one.”

He smiles and rubs his son’s head,”…and put your hat on.”

The pair weave through the traffic and hit the beach carpark.

Addy jumps out of his seat and takes off into the parkland behind the sand dunes around the beach.

There is a sea of red in front of them. Addy is excited and waves to his little friend from the hospital ward, down the road from their place.

His friend is the same age as Addy, his hair is replaced with a shiny bald head and he waves and bekons Addy and the other kids into the grassland.

“Okay guys, let’s unravel this thing and join in.”

Addy’s Dad uncoils the twine and frame.

“Easy boys, we don’t want to rip it.”

The boys jump and dance on the spot, their excitement uncontained “You guys are so cute,” Addy’s father says.

“Addy, you go first, I want to see it take off” says the little friend, “plus I can’t run today.”

Addy takes the twine out of his Dad’s extended hand and turns to his little mate.

“You watch this, it’s gonna be so cool.”

Addy takes off running.  Within seconds his red kite springs up from the grass and joins the other kites in the sky.

One hundred red kites dance in the sky, and the ground below is transformed into a collage of kaleidoscope patterns.

The children run and laugh and their sick little friends stare up into the sky… to hope.

info: The Red Kite Foundation is a children’s cancer charity that has been lovingly supported by a talented and generous artist known as Addis.
Addis has made 100 cast bronze sculptures of the spirit of a young boy with a kite for this special cause.  Contact cwmgalleries for more information or you can donate at Red Kite Foundation, www.redkite.org.au