Election spectacle.

Elections are drawing close and political parties are advertising on national television as well as going on road shows to canvas for votes. So much money and so little thought goes into these advertising campaigns…

President Zuma was shaking his stuff on a mobile stage last week and a few ladies dressed in colourful attire were jiggling their bodies and showing their panties to the audience. The crowd joined them in song and dance and that was it. That was Zuma’s address for votes!? I could not help but wonder; what type of message do a few half-naked ladies on a stage send to voters? It is evident that more of my taxes will be paid towards supporting another wife’s lavish lifestyle or flights aboard our national carrier. Clearly, the ANC will not secure my vote.

Helen Zille on the other hand, is showcased on national news as she breaks out in traditional song while wearing traditional African garments, (cloth and blanket wrapped around her body as her dress). Is this scenario realistic? She is a privileged lady who has never experience village life. This is the very same woman who would not avail funding to build walls for toilets in a Cape Town township last year. The DA’s campaign is deceptive and they therefore do not invoke trust in me. Another vote lost for the NP – oops, DA.

  

Does honest leadership still exist? Honest politicians please make yourself known and I will vote for you to lead our beautiful country. Structure your political campaigns, do not insult your target audience, address issues that stunts South Africa’s growth. Present the citizens of South Africa with long-term solutions.

Kindly leave the song and dance celebrations for the election after-party.

The sound of “one hand clapping”.

Be genuine when you congratulate someone on their joy or achievements. Never do something half-heartedly. The sound of “one hand clapping” will reveal your true feelings, regardless of how hard you try to mask it. Your actions will lead to embarrassment for yourself and you might regret your actions once it is too late.

Be true to yourself, be kind to others and karma will take care of the rest.

Growing up…

I absolutely loved my childhood! The best years of my life was when I played all day long and ruled over Darryl and Nigel. Yip, I loved my little “She-Ra” kingdom.

“Role play” was my favourite game. We would dress up into our super hero, (and heroin) gear and fly off my parents’ balcony or jump out of Aunty Margie’s big tree. I perfected a crash-landing and dusted my red Wellington boots off after a few dramatic “roll-arounds” in the sand.

My beautiful, girlie dresses always got torn. I once jumped from the top of the Jones’ staircase and ruined the heels of my brand new “Jack & Jill” pumps. Nobody saw, so I wriggled the heels until it looked slightly normal. I knew that I was going to get the hiding of my life once my mother saw what I had done to my new shoes, but alas, it was worth that jump!

Not all who wander are lost.

It is said that walking is a form of meditation. One often takes a walk to get rid of the cobwebs in ones mind, to gain new perspective or a different take on a particular situation.

This is an age-old tradition. People in the Bible walked great distances over time as they were guided by Holy Spirits. Our ancestors walked for miles to hunt their next meal or to seek new habitat. Tibetan monks often wander when they do soul searching. They go on pilgrimage to see a vision of the next Dalai Lama. Not all who wander are lost.

Georgie Porgie pudding and pie.

“Goergie Porgie pudding and pie, kissed the girls and made them cry, when the boys came out to play, Georgie Porgie ran away!” I was in Sub B and so proud to be part of this production.

My ballet recitals back in the 1980’s definitely count as the most exciting and eventful happenings of my childhood. Preparing for eisteddfod meant months and months of hard work. We worked towards putting together spectacular shows and had to practice hours to perfect our “pas de chat, pirouette, grand plié and demi-plié”.

Mommy would style my hair in the perfect bun; secure my hair in a net and hairspray my hair until I coughed. I did not mind the hair pulling at all, for afterwards, I get to wear bright red lipstick, pink blusher and powder-blue eye shadow and feel as pretty as Princess Diana!

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

Put yourself in South African pole vaulter, Okkert Brits’ shoes and strategise.  You managed to propel yourself to the top, now what?

Step from the top of the 100-foot pole with grace. Plan your landing on the cushioned mattress. Scale over the horizontal pane and use the technique learned through practice and watching the best. Arch your back, lift your legs and you are home free.

Apply these principles in life and business to guarantee efficiency.

What makes me smile?

Adam, when he walks around in our house and sings, “You woke up this morning, got yourself a gun, Mama always said you'd be the Chosen One” – Sopranos soundtrack.

Tanaka, my neighbour’s 3 year old daughter cracked me up the other day when she freaked out because her nails need to get done. My 7 month old niece steals my heart when her little face lights up when she sees me.

My dad, who sings at the top of his voice and off-key while he prepares sandwiches for us, “In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight.” It is the small things in life that makes me smile.

We are what we do.

Freedom fighters like Mandela and Che Guevara lived for the causes that they stood for. They are true revolutionists. Both men sacrificed their family lives and a normal existence to fight oppression.

Steve Biko educated the world on Black Consciousness. He wanted Black South Africans and other Black people to know that they were equal to White people. Biko knew that the colour of his skin did not define him. He encouraged Blacks to have self-worth. The South African Apartheid Regime killed him in 1977, but they did not kill his spirit or his written and spoken word. His legacy guided us towards an equalitarian society.

South Africa is by no means an “ideal” society. We have come a long way, and our process of transformation wowed the world, especially during the 2010 Soccer World Cup period when our nation unified. The saying goes, “Change starts from within.” The “I Lead SA” campaign is based on ownership. We should take responsibility for our actions before we point fingers at others. Apply this principle to all that you do and as a nation South Africa will overcome, slowly but surely.

We are afraid of the wrong things.

Most of us fear, “change”. Many say, “I want to make a difference!” Few will take up arms, (using one’s intellect as a weapon) and fight for a cause that one believes in to effect change.

The year, 1976 earmarks when the fearless masses of Soweto marched to bring about change in South Africa. My heroes, Mohatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko are prime examples of individuals who outsmarted an oppressive political system. These revolutionists did not use violence to effect change. They used their minds and led by example. Gandhi, Mandela and Biko stood up for what they believed in, they educated the masses and in doing so, created awareness worldwide and effected change.

“Change” is a verb.

A tapestry blanket.

A tapestry blanket tells many stories. Each block represents something or tells someone’s tale.

I admire the hands that take the time to put this blanket together. Each piece is carefully planned, each stitch and pattern fit and the end result is a colourful, (sometimes hideous- looking blanket) that tells an amazing story.

This is how some of our grandmothers and great grandmothers passed on their legacies. They were unable to read or write, (as education was taboo for women in those days). These remarkable ladies used the tapestry blanket to speak to their younger generations to come, to inform us, to equip us and to remind us of whom we are and where we stem from.

Fish falling from the sky.

How many times have someone said to you when something goes wrong, “Life happens, deal with it and move on.” I would like to reply and say, “Too many times”, but in all honesty, I am grateful for every single time that someone said that to me.

It has made me strong and turned me into the woman that I am today. Fish falling from the sky will not deter me. I will in fact take out my frying pan and start frying some and freeze the rest, because I am practical and I think of the day of tomorrow.

Ouma and Oupa Coolsaet

My grandchildren would someday look forward to “story telling time” as I tell them about the adventures of Ouma and Oupa Coolsaet. Here follows the condensed version of our story.

It all started in December 2003, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico… My husband and I went on our first date, (and he says that he knew then that he was going to make me his wife someday). During October 2004, I followed him when he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina claimed our roof on 29 August 2005 and forced us to move to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The bitter cold sent me back to my hometown, Knysna in November 2005. I grew restless in my seaside town and grabbed an opportunity to work for a politician in the Delta State in Nigeria. My pirate proposed on the 1 March 2007 and we wed on 20 December 2008.

I hope to someday, (when I am a golden 80 years old) to sit on the stoep with my husband and look on as our naughty grandchildren create havoc in our garden.

The colour of the wind.

The colour of the wind is determined by our pre-conceived perceptions, our frame of reference, our age, our culture, our religion and many other like factors.

We can use these influencing factors and choose the colour of the wind to be a vibrant breeze, which uplifts our souls when we lose faith. Accept the turmoil in your life, draw from the lessons learnt and sometimes accept the colour of the wind as a soothing breeze that calms your soul.