Month: March 2018

I find children tell it like it is and this has been brought home to me on a couple of occasions the last few days and it is extremely refreshing and thought provoking.

I had my two youngest grandchildren with me and we went food shopping.  Strolling up and down the aisles, as you do when you have 2 youngsters in tow, with the two of them nattering  away, when Aidan (age 8) turns to me and says , “Granny I ate some bacon yesterday, and I am lucky that I haven’t got listeria” and then went on to tell me the dangers of eating processed food.  When I was 8 I didn’t even understand the term “processed food”. Not sure where he has garnered all the information, at school from his teacher, on the news or just listening to conversations around him.

Next up, 5 year old Eden. I am sitting on the deck, with the requisite sundowner glass of red wine, children playing in the garden. I call them over to offer some biltong and on eating a few pieces, Eden with her head on the side says ” Granny you know that an animal had to die for us to be eating this!” She looks at the packet ” see this bull, he was killed, we are eating a bull!” This is a 5 year olds understanding of how the world works (or rather doesn’t work) and her comment hit me to my core.  I am a passionate anti gun/hunting advocate and here I am eating an animal.  Yes, I have thought of going vegetarian in the past, especially after watching some of those horrific clips of how animals are treated and slaughtered all for us to be able to eat biltong and bacon, and have stuck to it for a week or two and then the fall off the band wagon when confronted with a juicy steak.  Somehow when buying meat products at the shops and the meat is packed in sterile plastic packaging, it is hard to associate the lamb chop with a fluffy little lamb. (But this topic is for another day).

It takes the unfiltered view of a child to have long hard look at ourselves and the double standards we entertain.  Ironically, as I put these thoughts to paper, in the background is a news report on the March for our Lives rally, where youngsters are bravely voicing their views on this broken world we live in. Some quotes “People have said I am a tool of some nameless adult” “we are not here for bread crumbs, we are here for real change” and “the best way forward, is to keep pushing forward”.  These brave voices of youngsters, who see the world differently from us cynical, jaded and most oft negative adults, are unfiltered and should be heeded.

So as adults, I recommend we all take a step back and take a re-look at how we live our lives, through the untainted eyes of a child.

Photo courtesy – yourblackworld.net

I have decided that this is going to be my go to phrase going forward in this world that is bombarded 24/7 with negativity from all quarters.

Been wracking my brains as to a new 365 day challenge that I haven’t done before, and will make this my one for the next 365 days, albeit starting on 13 March – but anyday is a good day to start.

Somehow when we decide on a new diet, we will always start on a Monday, or on the 1st of the next month I will start my exercise regime, give up smoking etc etc. Here again we procrastinate – there is nothing stopping you from starting a challenge right here and now.  There is no need to wait.

…. comparing and measuring – AKA – people watching!

Yes we all do it – people watching is a past time of many. I was going to make this as a statement for solo journeyers through life, but as a people watcher, know that this happens in couples and groups equally so.

I try and pride myself that I don’t judge, but know that this isn’t true, as although we may not verbalize our thoughts about the people we are watching, maybe I should use observing, as the word watching sounds a bit creepy when used too often, we all have that inner voice passing judgement. We watch, we judge, we compare and we measure!

I caught myself out this past weekend whilst at a local music festival. Standing up close to the stage to be able to see the performers better, breathing in the atmosphere and the marijuana infused air, a group of youngsters standing in front of me caught my eye. Two young girls in the requisite shorter than short shorts, with two young boys (in my eyes they were boys, though I think they thought themselves as young men). The girls were soaking up the music and dancing to the beat, whilst the two boys had their phones out and were trying to surreptitiously video their young female counterparts behinds moving to the music, laughing and whispering to each other about each little jiggle. Then on spotting a peer in the crowd, dressed in a manner that does not fit the norm of the sheep driven mentality of what is accepted, they tap each other on the shoulder, point out the culprit and have a good laugh with derogatory remarks.

Now just by me observing this and now verbalizing what was going through my mind,  I am judging, because who am I to judge their behavior and think “you little ‘shits’, who are you to judge others on being different” – so all in all a catch 22 situation.

I would like one person, just one person, to be able to put up their hand and say they have never turned to a friend and made a judgmental remark about someone else in a crowd or just passing by.

So the challenge I am giving myself, is to be able to watch (or observe), which is one of my favourite past times as a solo journeyer of this earth, and not have any judgmental thoughts go through my mind, because at the end of the day, we are all human, have our own idiosyncrasies and insecurities and want to be accepted for who we are.

So, beware we are all being watched ………..but then again, so what, if we give someone something to talk about, so be it.

Photo courtesy – Siliconangle

I have the privilege of having Harry in my home.

Background on Harry.  Harry is a wild cat that was rescued at the Randburg Harriers Running Club, hence the name Harry.  If he had been a girl she would have been Harriet.

This little mite was a small ball of matted, dirty fluff on his last legs, with gungy eyes and we were all surprised when he made it through the night.

Harry is a shining example of how we should all strive to live our lives – BRAVELY! Because to survive in this topsy turvy world of ours we need to be brave.

This ball of fluff, all of 4 weeks old, made his way in the middle of the night to where there was a lot of noise and commotion which goes hand in hand when runners get together at a function.  I can just imagine what he saw, huge giant people, making a lot of noise, a large braai fire (must have been the smell of food that enticed this starving little creature), lots of drunken movement and bright lights. He was spotted curled up in the corner looking dolefully on. He is a survivor. He is so brave.  If he hadn’t been brave enough to make his way to where he thought help was, he more than likely would not be around to today.

This is why we all need to be like Harry, face our fears head on, have the courage to survive against all odds, hold our heads up high, ask for help when needed (talking to myself here now as well), and accept when help is offered.  Harry did all this – and is now a healthy little kitten,  rewarded with over flowing love, a warm home, and older “brother”, a full tummy and endless possibilities in his future – he is one brave little fellow with enough spunk to fill a room.

So in life  …… Be like Harry!

And he was quite an ugly one and one that had been sitting on the side of my pond for quite a while – and wow it feels good.

Photo courtesy – National Geographic

Why do we procrastinate, put our heads in the sand, vacillate in making decisions.  Although I have to admit that maybe sometimes I should have vacillated before making some decisions instead of being impetuous and going head long into life, but then I wouldn’t have had the most amazing experiences that I have had, met the people that I have and seen so much (and still so much more to see) of this beautiful world of ours, frogs and all.

Why do we procrastinate

Is it fear, laziness, lack of self confidence?  Our minds are amazingly clever in making excuses for getting out of doing things we would rather not do, but to our own detriment. But it is also quite sneaky in getting us out of things we want to do. For example….. I love my runs in the morning. Climbing into bed at night, setting the alarm, anticipating the awesome feeling of waking up with the sparrows, getting out onto the road, before the world awakens and seeing the sun rise, your feet falling softly on the tarmac, all in all the best way to start the day, ask me, I know.  Then, waking to the alarm and this sneaky mind will then make very excuse to not get up, its cold, its raining, its dark, its dangerous, my throat as a slight scratch, I have a headache, I didn’t sleep well, I will run later – etc. etc. Why??? Because you know that once you are up and out on the road it is the best feeling in the world.  Our minds sabotage us.

So if our minds sabotage us out of doing something that we really enjoy, imagine how hard we have to work to get away from the sabotage and negative self talk when we have to face something we would really rather not.  I am sure there there are specialists out there who analyse our psyche, and would have a field day if they could get into my mind, but still cannot explain why we sabotage ourselves.

When I kick the sabotage to the curb in then mornings it feels good, so the feeling I have right now for eating the big fat ugly frog that has been sitting on my shoulder for a while is almost euphoric, a huge weight off my shoulders, decisions made and mojo returning in leaps and bounds.

So on this glorious early autumn day in Johannesburg I urge one and all, be impetuous, live life with no regrets, don’t procrastinate and when needed eat that frog, it actually tastes good.