I know that most posts at this time focus on the "year in review" theme. And I suppose it is a relevant topic.
2016 for me began with a ridiculous post by an ignorant old woman called Penny Sparrow. She sparked a long-overdue national debate (and I do use the words loosely, since some responses were hate speech rather than objective counter arguments) on race, and how black people are treated and perceived in South Africa. This also led to other suppressed issues coming to the surface of our society, and although I believe that it is necessary and healthy to take them out and deal with them, the meanness and opportunism that tries to walk hand in hand with retribution often brought me down. In my heart, I am a Zulu, and I don't like to be tarred with the same brush as those people who believe a white skin makes a person superior.
In one of the headlines in the paper today, there was a tally of all of the celebrities that had died during 2016. Apparently George Michael died on Xmas day. Last Christmas, he gave you his heart... So if it's all the same to you, I'd rather forego the recounting of what happened in the world this year.
There were a few bright rays that shone down on me. The Rogue Squadron (admittedly only two plus mascot) attended our first international tournament, independent of any national initiative, and we solidified our status as a team at the national tournament. It made me feel proud and grateful for the people with whom I have surrounded myself.
And I received a beautiful amaryllis lily and chocolates from one of my managers in Head Office for simply doing my job and helping out (with an admittedly monumental marking task), which I thought was really sweet. It's awesome to be recognised for one's efforts at work.
Tala achieved really well in school and sports, and reinforces every day the reason why I chose to have a child.
Josh started making the most beautiful knives and swords and revamped his business, Metal Horse Armoury.
And Josh and I also put a stop to our summer flea infestation, which was a relief, to say the least.
What I really want to speak about, though, is hope.
I know, I know.. There are so many cliches and adadges like the perennial, "Hope springs eternal."
But there was a time when hope didn't really exist for me, in my world. I think that when a person turns the corner and realises that there is hope, after having none, it is the sweetest gift to find, sitting there, untouched, unopened, fresh and promising, and all the more worth holding onto.
In "A Knight's Tale", William and his buddies put together a letter to the Princess, and the last paragraph begins with the words, "Hope guides me..." I love this line because it resonates with who I have become. Hope has really been what keeps me together; hope that tomorrow will be better than today; hope that tomorrow or the next day, reason and truth will prevail; hope that, for all of my effort and inspiration and motivation, there will be some kind of reward.
I recently watched the "Rogue One" movie, which was much, much closer in tone and style to "Episode IV: A New Hope". It was deeply satisfying to see that the writers had actually created an original story, without relying on and recreating the nostalgic shots that made the original Star Wars movies so popular, as they did with Episode VII. There are more than a few parallels that I drew between the story of Rogue One and the formation of my own Rogue Squadron.
As a citizen of South Africa, as a lecturer, and as a leader of the Rogues, I intend to keep on recruiting, motivating, inspiring and training, until all of my chances are spent, and my time is done.
I look forward to the year ahead because I believe that it will be better. What I want to pass on in this post to all of you, my readers, is a what they gave to Leia, as Captain Antilles fled Vader's star destroyer at the end of "Rogue One": hope.
2016 for me began with a ridiculous post by an ignorant old woman called Penny Sparrow. She sparked a long-overdue national debate (and I do use the words loosely, since some responses were hate speech rather than objective counter arguments) on race, and how black people are treated and perceived in South Africa. This also led to other suppressed issues coming to the surface of our society, and although I believe that it is necessary and healthy to take them out and deal with them, the meanness and opportunism that tries to walk hand in hand with retribution often brought me down. In my heart, I am a Zulu, and I don't like to be tarred with the same brush as those people who believe a white skin makes a person superior.
In one of the headlines in the paper today, there was a tally of all of the celebrities that had died during 2016. Apparently George Michael died on Xmas day. Last Christmas, he gave you his heart... So if it's all the same to you, I'd rather forego the recounting of what happened in the world this year.
There were a few bright rays that shone down on me. The Rogue Squadron (admittedly only two plus mascot) attended our first international tournament, independent of any national initiative, and we solidified our status as a team at the national tournament. It made me feel proud and grateful for the people with whom I have surrounded myself.
And I received a beautiful amaryllis lily and chocolates from one of my managers in Head Office for simply doing my job and helping out (with an admittedly monumental marking task), which I thought was really sweet. It's awesome to be recognised for one's efforts at work.
Tala achieved really well in school and sports, and reinforces every day the reason why I chose to have a child.
Josh started making the most beautiful knives and swords and revamped his business, Metal Horse Armoury.
And Josh and I also put a stop to our summer flea infestation, which was a relief, to say the least.
What I really want to speak about, though, is hope.
I know, I know.. There are so many cliches and adadges like the perennial, "Hope springs eternal."
But there was a time when hope didn't really exist for me, in my world. I think that when a person turns the corner and realises that there is hope, after having none, it is the sweetest gift to find, sitting there, untouched, unopened, fresh and promising, and all the more worth holding onto.
In "A Knight's Tale", William and his buddies put together a letter to the Princess, and the last paragraph begins with the words, "Hope guides me..." I love this line because it resonates with who I have become. Hope has really been what keeps me together; hope that tomorrow will be better than today; hope that tomorrow or the next day, reason and truth will prevail; hope that, for all of my effort and inspiration and motivation, there will be some kind of reward.
I recently watched the "Rogue One" movie, which was much, much closer in tone and style to "Episode IV: A New Hope". It was deeply satisfying to see that the writers had actually created an original story, without relying on and recreating the nostalgic shots that made the original Star Wars movies so popular, as they did with Episode VII. There are more than a few parallels that I drew between the story of Rogue One and the formation of my own Rogue Squadron.
As a citizen of South Africa, as a lecturer, and as a leader of the Rogues, I intend to keep on recruiting, motivating, inspiring and training, until all of my chances are spent, and my time is done.
I look forward to the year ahead because I believe that it will be better. What I want to pass on in this post to all of you, my readers, is a what they gave to Leia, as Captain Antilles fled Vader's star destroyer at the end of "Rogue One": hope.
