Marion Syms

An Old Acquaintance

Daddy before leaving for the UK requested that Vincie help him find the whereabouts of a lecturer who taught in the University of Portsmouth during his time; Marion Syms.


Dear Vincie did us the favour and went on a nation wide search for her and it therefore brought us to a picturesque sweet county; Emsworth.


Emsworth is a sleepy little place nestled in the natural beauty of God and this old oak tree is but a symbol of poise and sturdiness. "Oh tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree, it's been..." To see a real oak tree means all the story books I read about them coming true.


Marion in her 70s is still active, very warm and spontaneous. She left her position some years ago and is now actively involved in a counselling ministry in the local church. Her wisdom is clearly deciphered through her soft and gentle demeanor and the moment she saw the girls she looked at dad and laughed. " You mean these are your girls?"; after all those years.
Next she sat down beside them and like a typical teacher, asked questions from age to studies and vocations. She was delighted at God's goodness to the family.



As we entered her door she showed us a painting on the wall; similar to the theme above. I regretted not taking a shot. It was a painting done by dad as a gift to her. She has been keeping it since then. Oh, why did not I take a shot ?


This is a typical painting now hung in the house. Dad's hobby is to paint during his free time and many good friends and pastors had received paintings from him.



So you should guess by now who has inherited this gift among the girls. Yes, it's the architect of the house; Esther. Yesterday she attended an Art class and came home with the piece. She says she has yet to give some final touches but alas she leaves me again tomorrow... Children do inherit latent skills from parents but perhaps the greatest yearning of all parents is that they develop into wholesome beings approved by God.


I admire Marion for her energy, imagination and willing spirit to entertain. "How shall I entertain the girls?" She quickly took out a croquet set and started to teach them the game. Teaching never leaves her, does it ?



She showed them how to hold the 'hammer' and gave little knocks to the ball...who will finish the game first?


So it became a frantic game. Needless to say, the man of the house did it followed by Grace, Esther and Sara; all in good order.



At the end of the game, the girls said "Look mama..." Girls they may be but fight they do and you will be surprised that the youngest is not the least vocal. It goes by the profession.


Don't you think they are adorable? While I was shivering and covering myself in a cardigan, these babies were enjoying the summer breeze. Perhaps one need to be trained to stand the cold? I definitely need it.



The energetic Marion then took us for a stroll behind her abode to a beach fronting the sea. On the way there, we saw yachts and boats parked behind a gate. The existence of the boats is a fore tale of what we were going to see.


A typical evening where families and people walk their dogs along the beach filled with bright, hard flint stones; dad told us.




Flint is bright and shiny and they have very hard features appropriate for building purposes.

Esther was all excited as she shot the scenery along the mud-filled beach. Beautiful, isn't it?

It is so natural; so real.

The floral is so spontaneous and bewitching too.

All thanks to the right camera, Esther.

We took some last shots before having tea with dear Marion and had real fellowship.
This is another of dad's desire ; to meet Marion. Another close mentor and a mutual friend, Gwen, who was especially close to dad passed away a couple of years ago. Dad actually regretted not meeting her earlier. So he took pains to visit old friends whom he met in the 70s.

Emsworth and Marion; we will remember.