Bad Energy Rubs Off

Written by Elsabe Smit

I like to believe that there is good in every person, and all we need to do is keep looking and keep loving.

I am also realistic because life has taught me that this approach only works up to a point. Some people are on this earth to spread poison and malice, and with the best will in the world you cannot change them, because their mission is not to change.
There have been times in my life when I was so bombarded with negative energy that I felt I was being dragged down into the same space as the people who projected their lack of self-love on me. I have had to make some very hard decisions about people that were supposed to be close to me, but who were clearly out to destroy me. I had to distance myself from those people and it was very painful but necessary for my own survival.

The consequence was that by detaching myself from the person and the situation, I discovered what those people had to teach me. I was then able to appreciate the wisdom I gained from them and think of them with unconditional love – or so I thought. The love was there, but on the condition that despite my gratitude towards them, I had to stay away from them if I wanted to be my true self.

I discovered that as people we are not capable of unconditional love, but we are capable of forgiveness – in the sense that forgiveness means understanding what those people have had to teach us, and feeling gratitude for the wisdom we gained from our experience.

Social media is no different from life – in fact, social media contacts are probably even more intense and instructive than having personal contact with people.

When we have personal contact with people, we can lie and pretend, and get away with it for a while. With social media, every word and sentence you type carries its own energy, and people pick that energy up, even if they deny that such energy exists.

I have blocked contact with a handful of people of the type of “hi mem I want to merry nice amerikin girl mem do you life alone mem“. I have blocked contact with one other person who was incredibly destructive and who on more than one occasion had a field day while intoxicated, only to brag about the situation afterwards.

I do believe in freedom of speech, and I also believe that bad energy rubs off. There are times when you have to decide to either love and leave contact or be dragged down to the level where that contact feels comfortable. This is no different from life away from the internet, just more intense and therefore happening much faster.

If you ever decide to block a social media contact, I trust that you will do it with love and understanding rather than with anger and resentment.

Zumba, Christmas in July

Written and photographed by Nina Ganci

As some of you have gathered by now, I love taking photos. Nothing too serious, just fun with the camera.

Nadia offering gifts

I was thrilled when Nadia from Richwood Zumba invited me to take photos of their event – Christmas in July.

As we live in South Africa, July is our winter month, so it makes sense to have a Christmas in July!

Everyone dressed up in pyjamas and nightwear and danced (Zumba) non-stop for 1.5 hours. I was just tired of watching them.

For these events, various Zumba studios get together in a hall to raise funds for charity.

Penguins at Bettys Bay

Written by Nina Ganci

The trip to Bettys Bay is spectacular. Mountain meets the ocean! The road hugs the mountain on one side with stunning views of the ocean on the other side. A must-do drive.

One stop I always do is Koelberg bay!

Koegelberg Bay

We arrived at Stony Point in Bettys Bay at 5pm. The reserve was locked up, but the penguins were not aware of this.

Penguins at Sunset

Penguins were coming inland for the evening. The parking lot was overflowing with penguins. A sight to behold.

We were very lucky to see penguins this close-up

Was thrilled to witness babies being fed

Waiting for Mamma

On the way back, this penguin would not allow me access as his nest was there. Penguin won this war, as I traced my steps back

Paraplegic Awareness

Written by Deborah Jordaan

Good day to all the beautiful souls that support our page. You make me feel like I am making a difference even if it is just one person that finds a light at the end of the tunnel because of the words I write. Today I am going to write about the daily challenges paraplegic people face out in the world where their needs are not always met from proper paraplegic parking- to bathroom facilities in the public.

As you all know my partner lost part of his leg last year and is still recovering. Luckily I do nursing so I take care of him. I have never noticed how insensitive a human is till their needs changed. Some places accommodate him but few and far between.

Then you get these people that park in paraplegic parking because they are just too lazy to walk a few more steps to where they need to get, not to mention people on the road that get frustrated with the speed he drives. His car is modified so he can still have the freedom of driving.

My heart bleeds for the paraplegics that do not have proper transport or live in sanitary conditions. They may have wounds that need cleaning and their situation may be that they live in a squatter camp or area where water and electricity are not available. That is why it gets to the point where they lose more of the limb because of sepsis or any other condition. I ensure my partner is clean, fed and warm in bed before doing anything for myself.

We made many friends when he was in Baragwanath Hospital and I wish I could help them but unfortunately, it is not always possible.

When you see a paraplegic person be kind to them, remember they may have been like you and suddenly their life changed in a second. Remember a paraplegic person still has an intelligent mind and they have not changed they just have a body that changed.

Then you get the people that cannot face the paraplegic after they lost a limb or any other body problem. My partner’s brothers have never seen him after his operation, their excuse is they feel bad seeing him like that.

What nonsense, they act like they are the victim whereas my partner never feels like a victim. To me, his family feels bad facing him because they never visit him and they never went to see him in hospital.

Never treat a paraplegic like a paraplegic, they are still a human just a bit different.

Albert Lin

Look at the amazing Albert Lin that works for national geographic, nothing holds him back. He goes on amazing adventures and has done things that able-bodied people have never done. Paraplegics have children and have beautiful family lives. Able-bodied people can learn a lot from paraplegics in regard to daily living. We take for granted that we can walk outside, jump and run. They wish they can just walk without a challenge.

Next time you say you do not feel like doing anything and that you feel down, think about what the paraplegic feels like every day. Just appreciate your life and when you see a paraplegic person try and be helpful to them.

Be blessed and be safe.

About Expectations

Written by Olivia Britz

I’ve come to learn that a lot of my life has been filled with junk from the past and past mistakes of parents and societies rules …which for the most do not make sense.

My writings are about honesty. This is my brand or trademark or whatever you wish to call it.

This morning I would like to put a topic close to my heart on the writing board. A topic about your own bedroom / separate bedrooms in marital relationships. Taboo or happiness? Now take me for example. I am the youngest of 7 …and grew up always sharing a bedroom; then out of my parent’s home to live with my boyfriend who I married and have since divorced. No bedroom of my own.

In the course of our marriage, I started to broach the subject of my own bedroom. My reasons were logical. I simply wanted my own room to decorate the way I wished. I wanted space…I am a light sleeper while he snores and sleeps heavily. I wanted a place I could go to comfortably and safely with my thoughts if we had disagreements. I wanted a space to recharge. All these logical reasons were met with Disdain at the very thought of such an impossibility and my own impossible nature as a wife. I was not heard.

Come many years later I moved to another city with the children for school and finally an opportunity to have my own bedroom. As the years went by that we lived apart I came to realize…how very important that wish was to me; as I valued my space to be able to close the door to my room…

And I wander and ask myself …men and women alike why do we box ourselves? Now you may ask since I am now divorced…is this something that may have made a positive difference in our marriage? I cannot say if I would have stayed married …but I can say with absolute clarity that it would have saved many arguments and resentments and exhaustion and irritability.

I was often tired from having had a bad night. I was irritable because many a night he would come to bed just as I fell asleep. And many a night too that I had to go to sleep because he came to bed and the bedside light was a disturbance.

In conclusion other than the issues we had…I was an exhausted human being. From lack of proper sleep. Simple as that.

I ask myself why we remain bonded to and bound by rules which do not work for our relationships.

For those of you who are blessed to be Still married…listen to the sounds of the little problems.

Stay blessed

Friends for Life (My Other Family)

Memoir of Chris De Flamingh

My friends whom I met & known over the past thirty (30) plus (+) years have always meant the world to me as I would always try my best to be loyal to all my friends, as friendship has always been very important to me. We would always meet up for beach braais (bar-b-que), birthday parties, and stock cars at Goodwood show grounds (long before it became Grand West) on Saturday & Friday night.

We did everything together and felt like a family (almost like a brotherhood). Many nights we would just sit and chat when we didn’t have money to go out or go to local clubs like Alligators (Paarden Eiland), Arena (close to the waterfront), Crowbar(CBD), Quay 4 (on the waterfront) and many other venues.

The Blue Peter was just a small little venue back then in the early nineties (1990s) and we often pop in for late-night drinks. Then there was also a club called Tramps in Greenpoint very close to Arena we frequently frequented. Those were the good old days.

I personally stopped going to clubs during the early 1990s as I felt “been there, done that. So I had no more great eagerness to go clubbing. I would drink on weekends and occasionally during the week as well. I would get to bed at 5am and be up at 06h30am for work and felt wide awake. I was filled with the energy of youth.

Today …….I do not have that kind of stamina to party like that anymore.

We always remained together as a close-knit group and kept up together. Communicated as we prepared mature plans for the day or weekend.

Often alcohol would play a part in us having fun/parties as a group and we would drink as usual but really enjoyed those days.

Some friends stood out for me namely Chris, Damian, Erik, Keith & Gerald Hopkins.

Chris is a mechanic and we would at times take our cars to him for repairs. He hardly ever refused us unless he was really busy.

He can withstand patience only for so long then he would explode if people abuse his good deeds; as I learned one year after he just had enough, so I gave him some space and we discussed it afterwards and understood fully where he was coming from so I would preferably call him so he is aware I’m planning to pop in and so I learned to respect his privacy including his needs as a father and breadwinner in his own household.

In April 1995 my dad passed away and they all came late one evening to lend their moral support as I was absolutely devastated and wore black for more than a year, as I mourned the loss of my father. I had difficulty accepting he was gone.

There isn’t a manual that teaches anyone how to deal with traumatic situations except for the Word of God (The Bible). I really had to grow up fairly quickly at this time in my life as I had to start paying bills like water, electricity etc. As my mom could not survive on her pension and I at the age of 24, it was just KFC, Steers and parties and alcohol etc.

Some years later, I was unemployed for about 3 years and Chris arranged from the group of friends to contribute each a certain amount which I was able to pay for some essentials petrol (fuel) etc.

In 1998 Erik paid for the repairs of my car and didn’t know how much it meant to me. He used to host many times nice causal braais at his family home and his parents were always very accommodating to all his friends being there having parties or just a plain decent visit for coffee.

I suffer from severe depression and anxiety and I had been feeling down for quite some time. One night I was in the Edgemead / Bothasig area and parked down a quiet street when I wanted to take my own life. As I held the gun to my head, I didn’t know how to deal with what was going on in my life. But for some or other reason I decided against it and lowered the gun. Then I drove to Erik’s house and he was alone as his folks had been away on holiday. When I pitched up at his front door he told me to enter and have a seat he made us some coffee and I proceeded to explain to him what had just transpired. I thank the lucky stars he was there for me that night and on so many other occasions.

Damian is another very good friend of mine and he is always available to help a friend and hardly ever says “no”. Damian has knowledge of electronics, computers, cars, etc. He is self-taught and has a very inquiring mind and that is how he accumulated his knowledge of some technical issues in the above-mentioned experiences. One essential thing I learned about Damian is, Don’t piss him off!

On more than one occasion he has repaired my cars in the past and refuses any compensation for it. Damian, I trust with my life and know he will always do something within your best interest.

God brought this wonderful group of friends into my life for a reason and they mean the world to me never ever take them for granted.

I also had other friends over the years and some are longer around as they went to be with God our Father.

Marie Upton, Cathy Ward & Deon Marais, Raymond Murray, Sandi Shaw (born Tuck) – These were very close friends of mine with some I would often share very personal information and brought a form of mental salvation to me at the time.

My friends are my family and I feel very proud to have such a great bunch of guys that I made friends with almost thirty (30) years ago.

Don’t take your friends for granted and have the utmost respect for them and take their social needs into account so you don’t crowd your friends and cause a very taste of dislike, disrespect and emotional discomfort and maybe feel too embarrassed to show your face again.

One day I had an argument with Sandi on the phone and I was very upset and felt very ashamed after the argument.

Sandi sent me a letter which she called a “Thank you gram” Thanking me for being her friend and I had known her for about twenty (20) years. She mentioned something in her letter to me where she said “Don’t let the sun set on an argument.” This was I think at the beginning of 2015 and passed away after suffering complications from cancer.

She lived at the time in KZN but we kept in contact on almost a daily basis. Either via email and /or Skype and phone. I was very heartbroken when she passed away.

Mr Kent is a very special friend of mine, he is a retired school principal and was also a good friend to my mom when we didn’t have a car to transport my mom to and from the hospital. He also assisted me with taking me to my clients at the time when I had to supply them with paper rolls which I sold through my business. He even cancelled a family commitment in order to assist me once I needed to be dropped off or collected where I had to go one afternoon. Mr Kent was kind enough to transport us wherever we had to go and was a great help and inspiration to me and still is. He is such a very humble and loving person.

I met Frank in 2004 after starting a new job at a carwash he used to pop in during his lunch hour and I always looked forward to that, so we could have our friendly casual chats etc. He mentioned one day that I should come to his family home which I did and we became good friends. He has been there for me in times of need when I needed his help. When he needs my help I jump for him because we have been very good friends since 2004.

Just a last word on friendship, if I may. Lessons learned from my experiences with my friends especially are to always respect one another and have compassion for one another and respect one’s personal space and family time. Always show courtesy for your neighbours & friends.

Wolf in a Suit

Written by Deborah Jordaan

Good day to all the beautiful people that make it worthwhile for us to write and you to read. You all inspire us to be creative.

Today I am writing about a man in a suit and all that comes out of his mouth is nonsense. In times before the salesmen used to wear suits and they had the gift of the gab but otherwise, they fooled the customer.

I know some people like that. They talk about all kinds of great things and how they are going to make your life change and so forth. These people are glorified liars.

So every person that fools people and manipulates them is to me that wolf in a suit. Fancy outfits don`t make a man or woman. Anyone can dress affluently but that does not mean they are honest and trustworthy.

Wearing a suit will not earn you respect, it is your actions that are going to let people respect you for the genuine person you are. Any person in a uniform should be respected especially medical and emergency people but yet again not all are genuine. Some of them do the job just for the money whereas years ago people did the job because of their love for people.

A wolf can come in many guises even in religion. These people preach to people and convince them that their path is the only way to be saved and this is how cults are started. According to the media, a religious cult is started in the USA daily. Not sure if it is true but I`m making my statement on hearsay.

Why is it that the human follows a man in a suit but he will not follow a genuine man in tatters that has people’s interests at heart?

If you look at people in politics they all wear suits but the only interests they have at heart are their own gain and pockets full of tax money.

Being an empath does benefit me sometimes when meeting people because it might show me with the first meeting that they are either genuine or not and if I have not picked up on their vibe at that time my gut will nag me until I see the truth. Not all people are nice and people that are too trusting get used and trampled but even after that some of these people still give that person in a suit benefit of the doubt.

My attitude is that I do not entertain these kinds of people in suits and I would rather spend my time with people that do not lie and are genuine. These types of people sap the energy from you.

My parting words to you are that trust yourself if something alerts you about a person do not always look past the suit and nonsense they speak to try to find something that is not there.

Stay blessed and stay safe and do not doubt the person in shabby clothes to the one in a suit.

Practical magic – 101

WILLOW, Warwick Davis, Billy Barty, 1988, (c) MGM/courtesy Everett Collection

Written by Vanessa Anderson

In a world that teeters closer and closer towards obsession over technological marvel, until one day you look back and realise that EVERYTHING has over time been replaced – become artificial, from the conversations we have to the food we eat.

I have written often about returning to self, remembering, and collecting ourselves back towards ourselves. Sometimes we all need a little practical magic to help us get there.

I am going to start with an anecdote from one of my favourite movies, Willow. If you participated in the Holistic Fayre’s birthday competitions you may have read this snippet from me already.

In the movie, the protagonist Willow Ufgood, a Nelwyn with magical talents presents himself as a would-be apprentice to the town Magician, Aldwin – at the Planing festival. He and two others are asked to identify which finger holds the power to control the world. Willow wanted to point to his own finger, but he didn’t trust his intuition.

Anyone who has watched the movie will know, for those who have not yet, spoiler alert – his own finger was the correct response, he held the power.

We hold the power!
You have the power!

The world we live in will have us forget that, because people who believe in themselves are harder to hoodwink with sparkling baubles, bright lights and fakery. True magic does not deceive, that is performance for it implies a performer and an audience.

True magic is within us all, no performance, no act – we have simply forgotten. In the rushed existence of our lives, filled with work, money, entertainment, fulfilment, expectations, judgements, distractions and challenges – there is little time.

It is time, it is now when we must recall. We speak of technology as an advancement, but those before us had knowledge, knowledge we have unknowingly let go, little bit by little bit. Its loss felt only now – when we have started to realise what we have given up in an attempt to get our time back.

Artificial intelligence is sold as the opportunity to free up our time, work smarter, not harder – but in a world of information we have become less, truth and knowledge diluted – we spend our free time being entertained by…. Artificial intelligence. We have given our power for a freedom in bondage.

Higher petrol prices, failing energy grids, job losses, global pandemics. The world is in desperate need of a little magic. In fact, it needs a lot – and it starts with each of us.

I am not going to claim that these are all steps in a programme to reclaim that magic. I am going to help you remember that magic is in the details, it is in the little things we do, every day and that every day, in every way that you are mindful in your intent you practice your magic.

It begins with you: Hair is magic – every cell in its make-up is you, when you cut your hair, you release energy. Like the rings in a tree trunk, those cells tell a story of what we have experienced. The sudden desire to cut ones hair is often a reflection of the need to change. We feel different when we give attention to certain parts of ourselves.

Our hair, connected to our crown chakra is an important link to who we are. In many cultures, the way that hair is worn – or treated is an embodiment of spiritual nature of that culture. Women braiding each other’s hair is not only a grooming practice, but a kinship ritual and possibly why we feel so oddly free to share things with our hairdresser we would normally keep to ourselves.

In our rushed world, we hasten through this grooming ritual, without the ritual. Intend to honour yourself more. Intent is magic. It is the energy we invest in everything we do. Ironically metered to ourselves and yet given so freely to other matters. Reclaim that magic, in small ways, every day, start with hair, brush it, braid it, love it.

I make a joke of the fact that most of what I knit or crochet ends up having a strand of hair woven into it, unintentionally of course, but unknowingly, everything I make has a part of me, part of my magic, woven in.

Practically, magic is everywhere, we just have to allow it in and if you will allow me, I would like to author some more practical magic tips in the coming months.

Remember, you are magic.

Mario’s Special Holiday

Children’s Story Written by Grazia Martienssen

Good day children, Flyer the seagull here, let me tell you about…

August in Italy:
In August it is summer in Italy, and extremely hot. Mario and his family live in Taormina, a hilltop town on the east coast of Sicily. Today is the 15th of August, which is a special holiday called Ferragosto, and is named after the Roman emperor Feriae Augusti who ruled even before Jesus was born.

Ferragosto is also the day that Mother Mary went to heaven, and is celebrated on the same day. Like most Italians, Mario’s family is catholic and believes that Mother Mary was taken into heaven, body and soul.

Do you have any special holiday you enjoy with your family?
Do you know the history behind your special holiday?

La Vara

Celebrations:
Mario’s parents run a small business from home and it will be closed for 2 weeks over Ferragosto. Some friends and relatives join them for the big festivities on the 15th, others work in supermarkets, so have to work half day before joining them.

At 10am Mario goes to Mass with his family and there is a special procession through the streets of Taormina. It is the celebration of la Vara which started in the first half of the 1500s.

La Vara is a large pyramid-shaped structure that symbolizes the assumption of Mary into heaven. The base is the tomb of Mary with the apostles around it. On top, there are statues of Jesus, angels, the sun, the moon and a starry globe.

It is carried by the faithful dressed in blue, in honour of the Madonna (Mary). It is moved by pulling ropes which have been blessed and are later cut into small pieces and given out to the people.

They all go to Giovanni’s house, where the women prepare pasta al forno (pasta bake) while the men braai the meat for the second course. Some of his cousins have come from north Italy where they eat different varieties of food. They tell him about their dishes, but they also enjoy the pasta and meat.

Do you go to church with your family?
If so, which church do you go to?
What special celebrations do you enjoy?

Palio Del Assunta

They go have a picnic up the mountain overlooking a beautiful view of the sea. There are lots of people as everyone is at the sea or the mountains.

At their picnic, Mario met some tourists from England. The next day his parents took them to a museum, where there is air conditioning. With this excuse, they learned a bit about the history of Italy.

In full Italian spirit, Mario’s parent’s offered to take the tourists to Siena in north Italy by train the next day.
This special trip involves a famous horse race called the Palio Del Assunta, which takes place at the central piazza (square).

On the way there the older relatives explain that as they were poor in their younger days, their parents used to take advantage of the cheap holidays and train travel organized on a large scale by the government in the 1920s.

Have you ever travelled by train?
If yes, where did you go?
Did you enjoy the ride?

Horse ride:
In Siena they book at a guest house run by one of dad’s friends. Nonno (grandfather) knows some of the horse owners. He speaks to them and arranges for the children to go on a short horse ride in the evening when it’s cooler. The children enjoy the ride and take lots of photos and videos to remember the special occasion.

Have you ever been on a horse?

Then I Grew Up

Written by Deborah Jordaan

Good day, beautiful souls. As usual, I hope you are well and being blessed every day. Today I am going to write about baby humans and baby animals, they don`t stay small – they grow up.

I wrote in a previous article about handbag dogs. To my horror, I got asked to babysit a handbag dog.

This is where my subject matter starts. We all love baby animals, puppies and kittens. Beware, people, they grow up and behave the way we program them. They get born all fluffy and cute and when they are big some humans either give them away or dump them. How disgusting. Imagine your mum gave birth to you and dumped you in the nearest bin when you start crawling and walking.

The human is strange, they love the idea of cuteness and when that idea is gone they get bored with the said animal.

Animals have feelings and as with our children no matter how old they get they will always need us and in return when the children are out of the home the dog or cat is your companion. They give you loyalty and love and in return, all they ask for is love, food and water and an occasional outfit.

As I said the human gets bored so when his child grows up he has to keep the child it`s not something he can dispose of. So if you are financially stable you get a nanny even though you may be a housewife, which is strange to me.

Is going to pilates and the mall more important than spending precious time with your child? Of course, some parents need help as they both work and have hectic lives, not all people can afford nannies and they have to depend on friends and family in their community. Yet still, they find time for their children.

Money can buy basically anything but it cant fix the emotional pain the animal is going through when you- the human dont want them anymore.

A child or animal behaviour is based on what they were taught at an early stage.

In general, human being is destructive and gets rid of what they dont need. Yes some people leave the children by their parents as its in their culture the elders take care of them. Each to his own philosophy.

Sometimes single parents need help plus they add animals to the mix, hell no. Life is busy enough, so when you bring any animal into your life make sure it`s not just temporary as the children and dog start forming a bond and they in turn protect the children and you.

Cuteness comes with a price. If it`s a woman, remember she gets old and wrinkly but so do you sir, you don’t stay Brad Pitt forever.

Nee boetie dis nie hoe die lewe loop nie

I am not wanting to insult anyone but hopefully shed some light on these situations.

I myself had my daughter live with family but that was due to my husband abusing me, but that`s a story for another day.

Stay warm and toasty, hopefully with a cup of milo and homemade biscuits.

Tot weer siens. Bly veilig en geseend.