BE A ROLE MODEL, BE INSPIRED
I AM CURRENTLY a very proud, loud and bragging citizen of this beautiful country of ours. We won the World Cup rugby series. Cape Town nominated as the best city in the world and then… Miss Universe!
Yes, people, in spite of all the blackouts, our national carrier almost grounded forever and the rand going down under we still have beautiful moments created by hard-working, dedicated citizens going into the world to represent our people and country.
Unless you are on prescribed tranquillisers, we all know this Christmas is going to be a bleak one to many out there. But here’s the thing: happiness, gratitude, love and memorable moments cannot be bought. There is no gift one can buy that could ever replace them.
We need to nurture our relationships and interactions with people from our neighbourhoods. We need to share our knowledge with the people we work with.
We need to start greeting people on the streets. Be mindful towards the frail and the elderly. Realise that every child is my child and protect them from whatever harm may come their way.
Be a positive role model, some one our youth can look up to, and be inspired.
Be mindful and patient towards our nurses and doctors while waiting to be seen. Twelve-hour shifts are no joke and at times we can be a bit unreasonable towards them. Never make another person a victim of your negative emotions.
The homeless were really well looked after this past year due to the generosity of the people of Cape Town.
Job opportunities were created and many NGOs offered life skills and job readiness programmes.
Souper Troopers sold Christmas decorations at a market in Woodstock created by homeless people. They flew off the shelves! To support this initiative please give Kerry Hoffman a call at 0795720028. Decorate your tree this year with one of a kind hand-made decorations and put some sparkle on your tree.
One thing about our city is that you can be completely out of cash and still have a great time outdoors. Going to the beach, climbing Table Mountain or even visiting some of our museums costs nothing. Pack your own little basket with sandwiches, fresh fruit and something to drink and you are ready to go out and explore.
Reading a good book or newspaper in the Company’s Gardens is another option to get outside and enjoy the sun.
We get so stuck with our earphones and mobile phones that we miss half of what is going on around us.
Go out and connect with strangers. Do one of the many free walking tours offered in the city. I love doing the Bo-Kaap walk. So much history and interesting facts one can learn.
This year was a challenging time in my life. I had to learn to adapt, adjust and to be very realistic. I must say I am blessed with beautiful, caring people in my life.