The Precious Stones in our lives

Friendship= Trespassing on a Private Estate Together

Friends are people who you can count on, share wonderful moments with, make memories, cry with, laugh at and just be yourself. These sorts of human beings that you truly connect with, on a deeper more intense level do not come into your life on a daily basis but instead are rare, they are the precious stones that ones needs to dig around the scratch patch before you find the shining, beautiful and precious stone that you know you will keep in your life forever.

When we are young, we have so many friends, get invited to numerous fairy and cowboy parties and not much phases our innocent souls. Our biggest stress is being the angel in the end of year christmas play. As we get older we develop real friendships which test our characters, a test which may result in an end of a friendship or it strengthens the relationship as we learn what makes the other person tick. One learns that a friendship is not just about being an individual, its about being a real person with affection, a teamplayer and someone who is able to give others advice, a good listener and a free spirit. You learn about individuals, their likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, passions and you journey together discovering parts of life whether it be your first love, a death, your first job, passing your drivers, heartache or just sharing your favourite chocolate chip ice cream after a bad day. Spending time with my closest friends makes me appreciate life, its gifts, relationships and I know that one day when we are old & grey we will sit back in our garden chairs, sipping chamomile tea and take a trip down memory lane.

Friendship= fun and happiness

Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Two hands come together, touch each other, clap together and there is a sound. A sound which represents praise,  recognition or approval,  a sound which can be powerful when a number of individuals clap together.

Is there a sound if one hand claps? One hand clapping, does it have an impact or is it an empty, meaningless sound which has no effect? The sound that comes from one hand clapping is small, vague, and grey with no power. Do you have moments in your life that deserve only a one handed clap? Moments that you are not proud of thus you wish that the impact is small, you wish to silence it if you can, take it back and relive the moment. The reality is we all have moments that deserve only a one handed clap or no clap at all. These experiences are ones which we are not proud of but hopefully we learn a valueable lesson from these experiences so that they do not repeat themselves.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir/2032471433/

Ma Ma Le Ma - Future leader of SA?

Who is Julius Malema?

Julius Malema,  President of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) born in 1981   is possibly one of the most controversial, if not the most controversial political figure in SA currently. He does not think before he speaks, which results in him being ridiculed, taken seriously by many and many people questioning how and why SA can have such a person with such a lack of respect for the non black race in a position of great power. The media thrive on Malema, wherever he goes, whatever he says or does gets splashed on the front page of the newspapers, shown on prime time television as well as footage can been online.

Malema is a public figure, a role model to a large percentage of the South African youth who look up to him, admire, respect and agree with what he says and does. He does not realise that his lack of respect, composure, leadership skills and knowledge at times projects him in a negative light as he raises the blood pressure of a number of South Africans.

But the big question is what are we doing about his unacceptable behaviour? Look at how he treated BBC Journalist, Jonah Fisher at a recent press conference. Malema's shocking behaviour, name calling, racist remarks are absolutely not acceptable. Yes, President Zuma can speak to Malema but will he listen, will he actually follow the rules, restrictions and play the game fairly? Or is Malema is a league of his own? It seems that way by the way in which he behaves with no punishment or restrictions.

President Zuma has said that Julius is a future leader of SA, this is truly a scarey thought. One can only hope that this day will never come unless Julius changes his ways, mindset and opinion.

The big question is, what if the media stopped covering Malema? What if no journalists attended his press conferences, covered his public appearances, would that make a difference? Would he get the message? Would he change his behaviour style and start acting like a true role model, someone who our youth can really look up to and respect? I guess time will tell but in the meantime, we should not take a back seat, its time we talk about Malema, take stand and use the power of our knowledge and voices.

Darren Whackhead Simpson compiled a song about Julius Malema which got much radio attention, listen to it on Youtube if you have not heard it yet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwdPsHFHmrM

We all wander at times but are we really lost?

You're looking at the map, do you go left, right, carry on straight, do you pull over? The voice of the GPS is telling you to continue straight but its a dead end...are you lost? You dont get lost or do you?The truth is we all get lost sometime in life, we all loose our way, continue on the road less travelled but eventually find our way back on what is considered to be the 'right' road in life or do we?

There are those in life which live a rather care free life, one which does not involve stressing about meeting deadlines, the what if's or following routine. These individuals may wander through life, achieving what needs to be done, at times achieving their objectives and other times not. But the art of wandering is what they do best. Wandering encourages discovery, discovering life, its beauty and all that it entails. But are these individuals lost, will they ever find their true passion in life or have they found their true passion but celebrate this passion in their own way.

Then there are those in life who know what they want to achieve, most of the time. These individuals are driven by meeting deadlines, balancing work & studies, multitasking, passion and trying to find time for the activities that they truly enjoy doing. These individuals may have a tendency to wander at times, loose a slight sense of direction and question whether they are on the 'right' road or whether they are on their destined road. At times these individuals may feel lost, but are they truly lost or is it just a sense of lack of control or not knowing exactly what the next step may be. This feeling of being lost may be one which makes one feel uneasy, its the not knowing which is unsettling.

BUT the truth is, in life we have opportunities to wander, the wandering allows you to feel, to just be for a moment or period of time. If you get lost along the way, its up to you to wander back onto the 'right' road but remember the road needs to be your road.

Source of Picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebecca-lily/3774473845/

Courage - How do you step from the top of a 100- foot building?

You are standing on top of a tall building, tall is maybe an understatement, its actually 100 foot in height which is equivalent to about 30 meters.  The view from the top of the 100 foot building is incredible, one can see for miles, everything below looks minute. You feel a sense of power, you are bigger than everything, but then reality sets in, your fear of heights begins to consume your being. Your breathing gets heavier, your breath shortens, your hands begin to sweat, your tummy starts to turn, your vision gets slightly blurred.

Deep breathes, count 1, 2, 3, inhale, exhale, you keep telling yourself I can do this, however doubt does cosume part of your thoughts. There are so many fears in life which one struggles to overcome whether it be your fear of heights, snakes, being alone, failure but the truth is, we will never ever be able to get over all of our fears. The good news is however that you can take small steps to overcome your fear even if it doesnt result in overcoming your fear entirely.

You compose yourself, positive thoughts outweigh the negatives, you look down from the 100 foot building, there is a safety net ready to catch you, but does that really count at this moment in time. 1, 2, 3 you jump.... your eyes are closed but suddenly you open them, you take in all that surrounds you, you are overcoming your fear. As you land in the safety net, you bounce up and down. You have conquered one of your fears, the adrenaline is rushing through your body, you cant stop smiling, giggling, you actually did it. Overcoming ones fears can definitely be an accomplishment which positively contributes to your self esteem and confidence.

Courage has been defined by the wordnetweb dictionary as "a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear." Children see their parents as being courageous, one who never shows fear and as a child you believe your parents can do anything, they are in fact your hero for the most part.

Henrik Edberg has put together a few tips of how to overcome your fears..

Face your fear to become stronger

By overcoming your fear, this will have a positive spin on your self

esteem and confidence.

Facing your fear may prove to be anticlimatic

Anticlimatic, yes, as your fear as consumed so much of your being that

once you've dealt with it, it actually does not seem as bad at all. You

wonder why, it was a fear in the 1st place.

Take action

Get busy and start conquering your fear by taking small steps.

Worrying about the fear will only make it worse, tackle it head on.

Don't cling to your illusion of safety

Many of us do not enjoy the feeling of being in unknown territory

or out of our comfort zones. As Helen Keller stated “Security is

mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature…. Life is either
a daring adventure or nothing." Most things in life are uncertain,
nothing is guarenteed, its time to take tiny steps out of our
comfort zones.

Be curious

Curiosity can become a habit, it needs to be practised as the more

curious you are, the easier it will become. Curiosity helps with

gaining insight and understanding into areas of uncertainty.

Most importantly believe in yourself, know that you can do it. Yes, the scarey, negative thoughts will consume your mind but its up to you to overcome it. Picture the end result, a feeling of accomplishment, an achievment, a moment to celebrate.

"Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out.”

Karl Augustus Menninger

Source of picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sziszo/2592916753/

Cape Town is full of activities to do

Cape Town really is the city which offers so many activities to keep us all very entertained, busy & well really give us the opportunity to take a break from our busy schedules. I know currently working and studying is difficult, trying to balance our schedules as well as fit in time for family, friends and me time can be stressful at times. But I believe in balance, yes I am not always the one to preach but I am going to try hard to actually take my own advice and enjoy more of what our amazing city has to offer.

I have put together a list of activites (festivals, shows, live shows) which are taking place in and around Cape Town in April which may tickle your fancy:

SA Cheese Festival

Date: 24- 27 April 2010
Venue:Bien Donne Farm, Franschoek
Time:10am
Cost: R110

This festival is a must for all cheese lovers. I attended last year & it was great. Apart from the crowds at times, there is sufficient parking, tasty cheeses, great variety, live cooking demonstrations and a warm atmosphere. Warning, wear comfortable shoes, warm clothes and be prepared to get slightly wet.

http://tastetourist.com/tag/sa-cheese-festival/)



Grease
Date: 6 March -11 April 2010
Venue: Artscape Opera House
Time: 8pm, there are a few afternoon shows
Cost: R100- R350

If musicals are your thing, then I suggest you organise a date night at Artscape as you will be tapping your feet and singing along with the cast. I was lucky to attend opening night which was magical, the audience thoroughly enjoyed it and the cast should be commended for all their hardwork.

Moscow Circus
Date: 16 April -27 April 2010
Venue: Grand Arena, Grand West
Time: 8pm with a few earlier shows on certain days
Cost: R125- R260

The Great Moscow Circus is back with more show stopping circus performers to offer families in South Africa the best in excitment, action, surprises and comedy.

Plush
Date: 10 April 2010
Venue: Assembly, Harrington Street, Cape Town
Time: 9pm
Cost: R50 (Presold- http://www.webtickets.co.za/)

Dont miss PLUSH perform one last show before heading into studio to record their much anticipated 4th Album. Songs performed will include some sneak peeks into their new album.

Sowing the Seed
Date:  10 April
Venue: Cape Farmhouse, Scarborough
Time: 12pm
Cost: R90

This event is a teaser for the upcoming and well known Rocking the Daisies which takes place in October. The atmosphere is laid back & artists include the Dirty Skirts, 7th Son, The Little Kings, Circuswing and Funafunji. One can take a walk through the gallery as well tuck into some gourmet treats.

Stellenbsoch Vista Trail Run
Date: 17 April 2010
Venue: Coetsenburg Athletics Stadium, Stellenbosch
Time:07:30
Cost: Pre entry for 12km- R50 & 5km- R15

I thought I had to add a fitness event as well as Cape Town really does have a number of great outdoor trails. This event is perfect for both experienced trail runners as well as families who would like to enjoy a morning out in Stellnbosch with a bit of excerise. Part of the proceeds from the event are donated to childrens charities.

More info: http://www.stellenboschvista.co.za/images/banners/Stellenbosch_Vista_2010.pdf

http://www.trailrunning.co.za/events

Don't let the winter blues get you down, get out there and see what our magical city has to offer!