Introducing Mrs Paraglider
61No man is an island
And Paraglider is no exception. The African wood-carving that I use as my avatar is in fact one of a pair, husband and wife. After a year here on Hubpages, it's high time Mrs Paraglider put in an appearance.
let no man put asunder
What God has joined together
Years ago, in a Johannesburg street market, when browsing was still an outdoor pursuit, I found my Paraglider wood-carving nestling with others of his kind in a straw-lined wicker basket. Of course, the name came much later. There was still no World Wide Web, no Paranormal blog. I asked the stall-holder how much, but he said - No. You take him, you take wife too. He wasn't joking either. These figures are carved as husband and wife pairs and it is bad luck to separate them. He rumaged in the straw, checked and rejected a couple of wrong-'uns, then held up Mr & Mrs Paraglider-to-be, one in each hand. Literally made for each other, they were together then and are together still.
Theirs is a quiet dignity. Crafted with love, out of hardship. Sold to a foreigner and taken abroad, from familiar fields to the noise and dirt of a harsh city. So little has changed for a ravaged Continent and its people. But they have each other and will not be parted. Dear reader - whenever you read one of Paraglider's pages, here or elsewhere, whenever you see his African carved avatar, remember he is never alone. His wife is with him now and for all time.
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Comments
Thanks! Though I bought them in Jo'burg, I think they were made further North, maybe Chad, Sudan or Ethiopia.
Paraglider, this is a beautiful hub. Mrs. Paraglider is very nice.
I love the idea that for everything you see there is always more that isn't always seen at work.
Gamergirl & Stacie - Mrs Paraglider is wonderful, and any ambiguity is quite intentional :)
I've been very curious about that profile pic for some time now. Thanks for enlightening me! The two of you look quite happy, despite Mrs. P's extremely droopy and puffy eyelid.
Thanks JR. I'd apply some borax or cold tea, but I'm not sure it would work on wood!
Beautiful hub and I wish you both a long and continueing life of hapiness.
Thank you
Thanks MM!
It's sooo cute. It made me truly smile. Nice to meet Mrs. Paraglider. :)
Thanks Ripplemaker :) Maybe she'll open her own HP account some day...
A very nice pair of sculptures. Nice to know the story behind your avatar :).
Thanks SweetiePie :)
They go well together, though I think Mr P is actually the more successful carving.
Interesting hub!!
Thanks Weblog!
paraglider...i wonder what is the reason that i always find myself stareing into the abyss, after reading one of your hubs...and particularly this one...a fan...pylos26
Thanks pylos. Although they are rough carvings, I find them very human.
You had me fooled..hehe. I thought this hub was about your wife and the kind person she is and so on....LOL
Countrywomen - what is true is that I have been married more than 30 years. Thanks for the read :)
What a wonderful read! May the Paragliders be together forever and a day :)
I thought of wishing you both a long and happy married life then felt maybe you already have that wish going for you..hehe. WOW!! 30 years. Your wife is really lucky to be married to such an intellectual. It's fun to have constant company of a genius like you which can be so intellectually stimulating. I wish this time zone thing wasn't there and real time communication between US and Gulf time zone takes place...LOL
Shalini & Countrywomen - thanks, both, for your good wishes.
Time zones are greater that technology - some things we can't circumvent!
FYI Lionswhelp has commented about your comic mention of cricket at this hub:
Beautiful carvings and a wonderfula rticle to go with it.:)
Countrywomen - thanks, I'll check it out
AEvans - they are good carvings. Quite rough, but almost alive with character.
Paraglider, so do I understand you correctly? You were given these carvings free of charge? But why? They are so valuable.
Aya - no, not free of charge. When he said no, he meant I can't buy just the man without the wife. But the price for the two was maybe 20 rand (about 4 pounds in those days). Nothing, really. But for me they are special. That's what matters.
Oh, okay. That makes more sense. Otherwise, I'd be worried they might have been hexed! ;->
So far, all the luck has been good :)
Thanks for the from the art words and beautiful works of art.
Hi Laringo - thanks for visiting :)
Thank you for sharing the story, Paraglider, I often wondered about the avatar. Nice to see it has an equally beautiful companion.
My pleasure, no, our pleasure. Thanks KCC :)
Very interesting. I love legends and stories and superstition - all wrought with facts I think. =))
Marisue - facts make the best fiction :)
Oh, I smile when you share this and I was reading it, have been wondering where the wood carve came from, and now I know, yes they should always be together, forever!Lucky Mrs. Paraglider!!
Thanks Prettydarkhorse - 32 years so far...
sixtyorso says:
18 months ago
Interesting aside. amazing that they came from Johannesburg. thanks for sharing with us.