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What do you really want out of life? Now what's stopping you?

Sunday, October 29, 2006

The Essence of Life?

Am writing this from a different PC to usual, mine crashed last week and is in for repairs.

One of the long term friends of our family is a couple who currently reside in South Africa. During my trip back from Cape Town, I stayed a few nights with them. The amazing thing about this couple is that they have been married for 62 years! They have stuck it out through thick and thin, through sickness and health and family trauma. He was abducted during the war in Zimbabwe, he has a long-standing heart condition and she is prone to falls. They are lovely to watch. They still hold hands. Aware that this could easily have been the last time I would see them, I asked them what the secret of their success was. Their answer, ‘they never went to bed angry.’ A simple but profound key; a nugget of wisdom that they consider to be one of the pivotal cores of their success.

Now, I am aware of the pitfalls of oversimplification, but what would your response be if someone asked you for the best piece of wisdom that you had? If you could distil your experiences and examples down into one phrase, what would it be? It may be something you thought up, a core value deep within your system, or it could be something you read, but I guarantee you, that if you think long enough you will find something you can pass on.

Mine, hmmm. I’ll admit it took some thinking-I have sat under the teaching of some great men. I guess for me it would be ‘Get on with it!’ Too many people have a dream or an idea that they never act on. Great people never started ‘great’. They began where they were with what they had (which was often just a great dream). The Wright brothers did not always fly, nor was the mane ‘Gates’ part of every household. If you know what you want to do-then set about doing it. So that’s my current piece of advice. It may change in the future, but probably not too soon. What’s yours?

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Back at the Desk

Am back in the office. Worked at the coffee shop over the weekend and started physio again today. It is still a rough period. Had the memorial service on Thursday last week, I spoke, not the easiest thing to do.

The main thing for me has been to find an anchor to help structure my days, I'd be pretty useless otherwise. In this case, getting back into my 'normal' routine has been paramount, while my 'to do' list has helped provide focus and direction. There is much extra to do, there are all sorts of consequences from my mother's death. Things that have to be sorted out. I am, however, not foolish. I know that I will have good and bad days, so I won't try force anything. The list merely serves to show me what I can do when I am up to it, and remind me of what is easily forgotten at this time.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Pain and Sorrow

The recent absence of regular posts this last fortnight was as a result of the untimely death of my mother. She had been having radiotherapy in Cape Town and eventually succumbed to some unexpected side effects. I have spent the last week in Cape Town with my family and we drove back up to Zimbabwe over the last couple of days. There is much still to do, and I will be out on the farm for the next few days.

There is much to celebrate in her life, and much of what I am today is a result of her influence; she is after all the person who taught me to read and write.

Will try and get back into my usual routine after the weekend.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Rain

It rained yesterday, for the first time this season. There is always something refreshing about the first rains, it brings a promise of hope after a period of lack and dryness. It cools the earth and settles the dust of the past months. Things appear cleaner and reveal their true colours that have been hidden under layers of dirt and grime. In a few days, new green shoots will appear in the grass and some flowers will begin to bloom. It is a wonderful time.

Rain in Africa is different to other places. A storm is just that-an intense burst of hard-hitting, large drops that breaks upon you from above. Not for Africa is the incessant dribble that could easily be mistaken for a heavy mist.

It will probably rain again today, the atmosphere is heavy and there are already signs of cloud build-up. There are other clouds though, those that bring a promise of rain but fail to deliver-either because they have not formed properly, or because they are driven rapidly away by the wind. I’m pretty sure you know people like that; those who could be so effective if they had a bit more training, or those who are to windswept in life and unable to settle long enough to do anything meaningful. Men are full of promises, but how many are truly men of their word. Now you firmly have a picture of someone else in your eye (come on I know you do), take a moment to reflect on your own life. Do you bring refreshment, value and life into the lives of others and do you stimulate growth in those around you? If not, determine today the steps you can take to change.

Tags rain encouragement personal development