Eat, drink and be glad(Ecclesiastes 8:15)

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“Today you going to have a real nashta(breakfast), not the cereal you tend to eat back home,” Paavai said as she welcomed Uhuru to the breakfast table.

 

Uhuru took a seat and with a smile, she greeted everyone.

“Yes- wow, you went all out, I see,” Uhuru declared.

 

“Not actually, mom helped me” Paavai responded.

 

“Well everything looks great, thank you Paavai and you mom. This was one of the things I missed about being here,” Uhuru said as she looked at Marans mother.

 

“Its my pleasure dear, now eat after your coffee,” Uhuru’s mother kindly responded. 

Uhuru was beaming, “Of course, she said. 

Why I have conversations?

I have conversations because life is meant to be shared. I understand that I am not an island and God intended for humans to experience life together. These experiences are shared when there are relationships and relationships need to be maintained. One of the most prevalent ways of maintaining relationships is through conversations.

Thus, it is important for people to have quality conversations that achieve the following:

• Help individuals to grow in knowledge.
• Help individuals to share information.
• Help individuals to become more socially active.

Quality conversations need to be enjoyable and valuable. I normally find that these type of conversations always have sincerity and care in them. I value this genuinely.

Quality conversations bring clarity to topics discussed and sometimes have wit or humour. Above all of this, the quality conversations I have are always relevant, informative and serve to teach me a little more about others and myself. 

Write your bucket list / 100 things to do before you die?

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There are a number of things that I would like to do before I die. Even though I don’t have a top 100 things I want to do before I die, I still have a top 60. In no particular order of importance, they are:

1. Watch a comedy show filled with South Africans best comedians, Trevor Noah, David Kau, Kagiso Lediga, Riaad Moosa and Eugene Khoza.
2. Stay in hotel (five star) just for nje.
3. Go to Coffee Bay in the Eastern Cape.
4. Learn how to surf when I get to Coffee Bay.
5. Visit different provinces in South Africa for work.
6. Visit different provinces in South Africa for a proper holiday.
7. Stay in a B& B in these different provinces.
8. Visit small dorpies (towns) in South Africa.
9. Travel the world
10. Visit art galleries in Belgium.
11. See all the Impressionists (Claude Monet, Édouard Manet and Pierre- Auguste Renoir) artworks. 
12. See Van Gogh’s artworks as well.
13. I am not a fan of Cubism artwork, but I would like to see Pablo Picasso’s work.
14. Learn photography
15. Then create a mini exhibition based on photographs of my favourite places in Cape Town.  
16. Go somewhere on a boat. The destination is not important; it is the journey that is.
17. Go hiking in the mountains for an entire day.
18. Go to Table Mountain. (I know, I know- this might be surprising but not all Capetonians have fully experienced the beauty of this province. I am one of them).
19. On an extremely warm night, I want to sleep outside and become mesmerised by the stars and moon.
20. Sky dive by the age of 25.
21. Visit different museums around South Africa.
22. Visit different aquariums around South Africa.
23. Learn how to canoe for fun and do it.
24. Learn to Tango in Spain.
25. Learn to Samba in Brazil.
26. Learn Ti Chi in China.
27. Do Pilates. I enjoy yoga but I think Pilates would be good to do as well.
28. I love the sound of a bass guitar so I want to learn how to play it.
29. Do yoga in India.
30. Watch ballet in the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia. 
31. Watch opera in a theatre in France so that I can listen to lyrics I don’t understand but be emotionally moved. 
32. Watch an interesting and thought provoking play.
33. Go sand surfing again.
34. Go quad biking again.
35. Buy a beautiful cocktail dress just to have me go to the beach and swim in it. (Since ones life is not in the abundance of his possessions – Luke 12: 15).
36.   Grow a mini library in my home.
37. Go on a road trip to my favourite destinations in South Africa with 5 of my closest friends.
38. I am yet to see Lauren Hill and Thandiswa Mazwai perform live, so I would like to go to their concerts.   
39. Go to a gospel concert with artists or groups such as Kirk Franklin concert, Lusanda and Joyous Celebration.  
40. Go to a “once-off” concert with legendary South African Maskandi musicians or artists and bands such as Letta Mbulu, Caiphus Semenya, Tsepo Tshola or Sankomota, Stimela and many more.
41. My dad has taught me the love of music since I was in my mother’s womb. Therefore, I would love to go with him to a “once-off” concert with legendary musicians or bands like Tico Rico, Earl Klugh, Brook Benton, Andreas Vollenweider and many more.
42. I would also like to watch a play with my dad based on the music from Peter Tosh, Marcus Garvey, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Eddie Harris, Bob James, Teddy Pendergrass and many more. 
43. Buy my dad a 4x4
44. Buy my mom a house
45. Go to the Grahamstown Festival. 
46. Improve my painting skills
47. Improve my printing skills
48. Go to the South Africa Fashion Week.
49. Go to the African Fashion Week.
50. Collect art pieces such as prints and paintings.
51. To improve my cooking skills and learn different dishes, I want to take cooking classes.
52. Take DIY (Do It Yourself) classes as well.
53. Go to a poetry slam event.
54. Join a small book club.
55. Go to a Hip Hop Festival.
56. Visit a book fair.
57. Learn knitting.
58. Learn beadwork.
59. Go to at least one OppiKoppi music festival. 
60. Dance in the rain....O wait, I have already done this! 

Entry 31- Steadfast Love (Psalm 90:14)

http://yogicsmile.com

 In anticipation of the brand new day that lay ahead, Uhuru got out of bed. She wore her gown and proceeded to the bathroom. When she got there, she carefully looked at herself in the mirror. She looked at herself with a different perspective, something had changed and she knew it well.

Uhuru’s thoughts were interrupted by Paavai again.
“Uhuru, breakfast is ready, so when you done showering we can have some coffee first,” Paavai stated.
“That sounds perfect, thank you Paavai,” Uhuru responded.

Uhuru brushed her teeth and took a shower. She was looking forward to breakfast with Maran’s family.

Let us go from here (John 14: 31)

The next morning Uhuru woke up to the kisses of the sun as it shined brightly into her room. She was in a peaceful place and on her way to healing wholeheartedly. She smiled and listened to the sound of her heart beat. It was pure music.

She continued to lie in bed and enjoyed the silence.

“Uhuru, are you awake?” Paavai said

“I am now” Uhuru grumbled.

Uhuru, Uhuru, are you awake?” Paavai repeated.

“Yes, I will be out in give me 5 minutes” Uhuru responded.

Great, I will see you downstairs; we have a long yet interesting day ahead of us!” Pavaai said in excitement.

Uhuru thought of how much she loved India, smiled and said “I can’t wait!”  

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My big fat BIG dream.

My biggest fattest BIG BIG dream is to travel the world!

I want to see different places, meet different people and learn about others culture and myself in the process. I want to see how others live, understand their political, social, economical, environmental and religious views. Then I want to teach them about South Africa (SA).

However, in order to teach others about SA, I have to travel my own country first. I imagine that I will see beautiful places that are not in the South African travel books and enjoy the experience fully.

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Subsequently, I want to travel this continent and experience the similarities (more than differences) that Africans have. I want to understand MY people and learn more of what we, as Africans, have to offer the world.

Then I want to travel the rest of the world and do the following:

• Discover beautiful places
• Discover history of the places
• Meet difference people
• Witness different cultures 
• Eat different types of cuisines

I believe it is important to never stop learning. Learning about other places, people, things and even oneself is a wonderful way to live life fully. And isn't that what life is all about: to live it to the fullest? 

Everlasting love(Jeremiah 31:3)

http://www.cameronmcefee.com

Uhuru giggled as she thought about Maran’s laughter and the fun times they spent together. She had lived a spectacular moment in her life with a man she loved deeply. Now, as she sat quietly in Maran’s room, she strongly felt like she was given another chance to love deeply. Life held out its hands to her and asked to be loved- deeply.

 

Uhuru knew she couldn’t reject this request, neither did she want to. As the universe was her witness, she accepted the request, got into bed and slept peacefully.