One of the most thought-provoking questions my sister has ever posed to me: "What would your 8-year-old self think of you right now?". Now, if that question doesn't scare the living day lights out of you... well then my friend, you're either a tad conservative, immature OR your conscience must be semi-detached from your body. I recently had one of the coolest experiences; I was on the way to a friend's house for an afternoon run after work. While driving in my car, I came to a traffic circle, and past me drove a big bakkie with a little girl in the back, smiling and waving ecstatically once she saw me driving in my friendly, little Volkswagen Beetle! It was like she was waving to her best friend in the whole world. My heart raced with excitement, and so I eagerly waved back and tooted the hooter! I could see how she was trying to tell her mom in sheer excitement and disbelief about what was happening; that the girl in the beetle was waving and hooting back to her. I had the biggest smile on my face. My heart filled up with sunshine and love, and for a minute, I felt like a kid again. It reminded me of how we used to be as kids, care-free and stoked about life in every way. Getting joy out of the simplest things. Every day was a new adventure and a new challenge on the playground. New plans and strategies, forts to build, PB's to be reached with hide-n-seek, beating the boys in a race to the jungle gyms... School shoes were off before your mom managed to reverse out of the parking lot. Man, those were the days! That's the stuff we need to get back to. Guys, we have one opportunity. Why do we get so caught up with the things that are in actuality, so trivial? Yes, life is, without a doubt, extremely difficult at times, and things may and do happen to us to test our strength and capability as individuals. But, and it's a BIG "BUTTTT"...We have each been given a Heart, Mind and a Soul. And those two things combined are our tools to overcoming the battles we face every day. I don't say it lightly. Take a simple example such as when it comes to round about the third week of the month, and your lifestyle has gone from restaurant food and Tresemme shampoo to pasta, tuna and Glyco-Lemon perm-wash... Instead of searching for the blunt butter knife or declaring financial and emotional bankruptcy...see it as a McGyver challenge...trying to make the most of what you have left to work with. Or better yet, budget your money in such a way (even though I should be taking my own advice here) that you can live sustainably (and comfortably) the whole month through. One of the best and earnest ways to get through the day, or even life, is through your child-like innocence. Not Naivety. Important distinction. But by trusting your gut, instinctual feeling and going for what feels right, time and time again until it becomes second nature, and eventually the only way of going about doing things. As I read this, I feel somewhat self-conscious about my writing, trying not to come across as someone who wants to give "teacher's pet" kind of advice, or tries to impress, because I hope my mom will be reading this (which I kind of hope she does anyways I guess), but in actual fact, I have recently had a small epiphany of how much better it would be if I could just focus on being exactly who I am, and have always been. For my twenty-second birthday, I got my first DSLR camera!, and so I started recording myself as well, in hopes to launch the vlog. While watching back the footage of myself, I realized how much I have to offer as a person, and how much time we spend trying to hide parts of ourselves instead which could add so much more joy to the world. I encourage you to bring out your inner Eugene, because it has taught me to love myself completely and unconditionally. Show the world (and more importantly, yourself) exactly what you are made of, and all the good, pure things you stand for. Please write back if you have any stories you'd like to share, or any photo's from your days as a tyke on the playground...I could even share it on my FB or Instagram account...which could definitely add to your Street cred ;-)
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AuthorHi there, my name is Judete Fourie. I am a twenty-something-year-old writer living in Stellenbosch in SA's Western Cape. Follow my day to day adventures that involve wine, wit and braaibroodjies. Archives
June 2017
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