FAITH

I look at the little pillow on my bed. Embroided in black is the word FAITH.
FAITH
How do you keep faith? How do you live in faith? Faith in what? Why have faith at all?

Sometimes I struggle to keep the faith, to keep believing that everything will work out fine. Like a movie you know, good defies evil, the damsel in distress gets saved, everyone is happy and in love and there is a rainbow in the sky.
Not to be cynical, but science taught me there must be rain first, or a storm, before a rainbow. And that storm is sometimes long and wild enough to knock your faith right over.
How do you keep believing and hoping and wishing to motivate yourself to keep believing and hoping and wishing?
How long are you supposed to convince yourself to hold on and have a little faith, things will get better? Well as they say, just a little bit longer I guess.

I have dwelt down the dark corridors of hopelessness often, and I have realised that what gets me out of there most, is seeing other people's faith; come to think of it.
Hearing stories of hope, how a friend leans on his faith for daily survival after his mother and father and the love of his life dies. Seeing how a family member conquers cancer with faith (and medicine and support from her family).
Yes that gives you a bit of hope and faith again. But when does it ever happens in your life? For real? That moment you have waited for all your life, when your payers are answered and you know everything is going to be ok, you are saved from all that is tearing you down.
Well maybe there will never be such a moment. Maybe it is a gradual process and while we are focussing on smaller miracles we are distracted from the bigger issues. And then one day, without realising how, it is not such a big deal anymore. Maybe the victory is to get through each day, with our faith in tact. Maybe we should get back to looking and really seeing the small miracles as well. I don't know.

No matter how rational we are, deep down there is always a voice that says, its going to be ok. Try and hear it, its faith.
For some it brings images or voices of a gospel choir singing.
5 letters that can have a huge impact on your life, or could just be a embroided on a pillow. In black.

Bananana

I work for a major retailer, and I just heard something interesting. The biggest selling line in produce is Bananas. Sales reach millions of rands annually. So simple, not some fancy line or gourmet product. Just plain and simple. Another top-seller: pap, mieliepap. Plain and simple.

That could be a nice challenge for 2010, keep it simple. Get back to the basics and enjoy life, make the most of every moment. Make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best at what you do. Take care of yourself, don't wait for someone to take care of you. Remember to love, laugh and live completely with no regrets!

The whole trend toward old fashioned-ness is worth a try. Out with fast-food, fast-fashion, fast cars fast fast fast. Return to the traditional, the old-school, slow-food, slow down.

Focussing on small things and trying to take in more every moment might open your eyes to wonders that you previously overlooked.

No burger like a Jo'burger

This city is magical. I never thought I would live here, but now I can't imagine moving away. There is a lot still to discover!

I thought this 'graffiti' on a public toilet door was spot on!

That is what I will be focussing on for this coming holiday season, and hopefully for 2010. I don't really want to make any new year resolutions, as it seems that the opposite turns out to be true, but if I had to make one, it would be to shift my focus to all things good, all things nice.

I would like to set myself some challenges or goals rather than resolutions, things like, I want to smile at taxi drivers, I want to be more creative, I want to travel to somewhere new, I want to own a pair of Christian Laboutins :) And off course shift my focus to all things good, all things nice.

I am looking forward to 2010!! A year full of new things, a whole new decade, new challenges, new experiences new-new-newness. New-new-news as well. One can only wonder what the newsworthy in our country and the world will get up to in the new decade. Will the planet become greener, will the mini's become shorter, will we discover a cure for aids, will Bafana-Bafana win the world cup? Only time will tell..

Let us be positive (and merry) and responsible. Let us stop looking for obstacles and rather start looking for magic (from: My life in ruins). Merry Christmas to all and wishing you good-ness and nice-ness for 2010.

ps. I just booked my trip to Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia - 3 new places. One down..