#We are the World Blogfest

It’s the last Friday of the month in which we post good news from around the world as a way of deflecting from negative news that takes too much space.  Our co-hosts for this month are: Shilpa Garg, Dan Antion, Simon Falk, Michelle Wallace , Mary J. Giese. Thank you.  Do pop by and say hello. Their posts are sure to be inspiring.

                                              The linky link should you wish to join is: 

http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=277138 It’s a matter of adding your name to the list, adding the badge in your side bar, posting some good news, saying why it inspires you, keeping it apolitical and non-religious, and a post that shows brother/sisterhood humanity in action. Do share on social media using #WATWB.

Today 27 April, is the day we voted in our first democratic election 24 years ago when Mr. Nelson Mandela became our president. It’s a public holiday, known as Freedom Day (still a long way to go though). The video below is so well worthwhile with live footage over the years. The 2 min video brought tears to my eyes. There’s even a moment of Mr. Mandela doing the jive! And our new pres Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa at the end –

When we have hope. We have everything.

To celebrate Freedom Day, GRID Worldwide have started a new social media campaign called #HopeJoanna… an idea to bring back hope and optimism to all South Africans.

“Let’s not forget about what the cost was. We have had so much adversity and many triumphs. Let’s never forget our struggle for freedom. But let’s love our diversity and let’s move ahead with intention. We are a great nation, never allow insecurity to cloud our resolve. Towards greatness. Share with your own love for our country.”

#HopeJoanna is more than just a campaign. It’s a social movement. And they are inviting each and every South African, to embark on this renewed journey of hope and optimism that we are experiencing in our country.

“We’ve all experienced the highs and lows of our beautiful South Africa. Even through the toughest of times, we have come out triumphant because we as a nation are resilient. And one thing always rings true, that when we have hope, we have everything.

We invite you to share your stories of hope with your fellow South Africans using #HopeJoanna. Let’s remind ourselves of all the wonderful, colourful and diverse things that we love about each other. Let’s come together in hope, because there is no better time than now.”

To kick off the campaign, the team have released an inspirational short film. Watch it below:

It’s the 12th month of posting a blog for #WATWB on the last Friday of every month. The aim of the blogfest is to spread good news in a world that seems increasingly unstable. With the good news of humanity in action the negativity is lessened a little.

I’ve chosen a recent post that I found in the goodthingsguy.com started by Brent Lindeque here in South Africa. The link for my post is below.

When Elizabeth Ann Robertson’s husband’s died in 2010 she had to start a new life for herself.  She moved to be closer to her daughter in Somerset West, my old stomping ground in the western Cape a very ling time ago. What I loved about this story is how she took the bulls by the horns and graduated with a Master’s degree from Stellenbosch University at the age of 74.

So, one woman’s story of how it’s never too late to learn something new. I’m inspired – I’m aware that my choice this month is not about one person’s brave deed or kindness that helped out another or others; it’s about a woman taking her own life into her hands. I’m hoping that all who read it may be similarly inspired.

An inspiring 74-year-old woman graduated from Stellenbosch with a Master’s Degree.

Thank you to our co-hosts this month: Belinda Witzenhausen,  Sylvia McGrath, Sylvia Stein  Shilpa Garg, Eric Lahti . Do pop by and say hello to them. Their stories are bound to be wonderful. Add your name to the link below if you’d like to be part of #WATWB. You can add your name to the link here. Keep your story short, provide the link and mention why your choice of story is inspiring to you.

Thank you for reading. Have a blessed Easter and/or Passover. Keep safe. Keep centred. Let your light shine.

#WATWB New brooms sweep clean

On the last Friday of every month, #WATWB posts a story linking to a story that is inspiring and shows humanity in action around the world. We are in our 11th month of spreading good news to dim the negativity –

Thank you to  Peter Nena, Eric Lahti, Roshan Radhakrishnan and Inderpreet Kaur Uppal &  Shilpa Garg for being our co-hosts this month. Do pop by to say hello and see their posts and others from around the world for a dose of feel good news.

My post for this month ‘We Are the World Blogfest’ post is different this time round. I am not linking to any story, but just saying that last Wednesday, 14th February, I heard on the radio, close to midnight, the president of South Africa, resign. In his own words. For the last several weeks we’d been on a roller coaster, wondering  what would happen. The tension was palpable. We had been hoping that Jacob Zuma would either resign or be forced out – and face the charges brought against him. His resignation was the best Valentine’s gift I could have received.

For me and the citizens of South Africa, this shows the power of protest in civil society, the justice system, the voice of the ordinary person. Saying NO MORE to State Capture – unbridled corruption. State capture is the capture of state-owned enterprises eg our national airline, railways, power grid. Government gives tenders to preferred suppliers and receives from them HUGE kickbacks to go into their pockets. Needless to say, suppliers that offer better services at better costs are overlooked. Billions of rands have been lost to services that require this money – education, housing, health – 

So, Zuma is OUT and we have a new president, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa sworn in last Friday. We anticipate a sweeping clean up of government ministers who have failed in their duty to the peoples of South Africa. There is a new sense of hope and unity in my country. I am inspired as I hope you will be too; although the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow, we CAN use our voice and protest and say NO.

If you wish to partake in this monthly fest, please add your name to the linky list below, and put up the #WATWB badge on your sidebar. Posts to be 500 words or less,  providing a link to your story, and a mention of why it inspires you. The posts are not supposed to be political … 

http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=277138

Thank you for reading, have a great weekend.

#WATWB: Being Water-Wise

All good wishes for 2018!

This is the first #WATWB blog post for 2018 (the 10th so far). It’s purpose is to spread goodwill around the world where all is mostly troubling not only on the political front but on our planet as well. It’s always cheering to be reminded of the goodness in the world. Our cohosts for this month are, with our thanks –

 Shilpa Garg, Simon Falk, Lynn Hallbrooks, Eric Lahti, Damyanti Biswas and Guilie Castillo. Please link with them to your posts and say hello.

I chose this story below as the drought here in South Africa is critical especially in 3 provinces, the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape. Cape Town faces NO WATER mid April. #Day Zero is what it’s called.

I hadn’t really thought about animals and water. Our cat here in Johannesburg has fresh water put out daily and I keep the bird bath in the garden topped up. People in drought stricken areas no doubt ensure their pets keep hydrated. But who would have thought about places of shelter for animals? Is this just taken for granted that this would automatically happen? I confess I hadn’t really thought about it. Hence, this story. 

I’ll be down in Cape Town from Johannesburg when you read this. I was there in early November when already people were getting used to the idea of using water wisely. I learned how to have the quickest of showers, one minute, the water from the shower into a bucket to be used in the toilets. People as from now are being restricted to 50 litres of water per day (although the post says 25 lt). Unless there’s rain, soon, the taps will be dry –

Fiona Barron used the idea of Herman H. le Roux and implemented the drive ... worthy heroes! Showing how we can EACH make a difference, and be water-wise whenever, wherever –

Should you wish to take part in this awareness initiative of spreading good will, a few basic guidelines: posts to be short, below 500 words. Link to a human news story on your blog, one that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood. Paste in an excerpt and tell us why it touched you. No story is too big or small, as long as it goes beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.

 Place the WE ARE THE WORLD badge or banner on your Post and your Sidebar. Some of you have already done so, this is just a gentle reminder for the others. Help us spread the word on social media. Feel free to tweet, share using the #WATWB hashtag to help us trend.

The link to add your name if you want to share a goodnews story: http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=277138&type=basic;

A Capetonian woman’s idea that has sparked an entire movement for Day Zero.

#WATWB

It’s the 9th #WATWB in which we bring you, dear reader, a spot of GOOD news. It is hoped seeing ordinary people do extraordinary things will inspire you in some way; even if, yet very significantly, to know that humanity in its best sense shows itself in many ways just about all the time  – even if just a smile –

We post on the last Friday of every month – if you’d like to take part and spread some goodwill around, please see the link below to which you can add your link. It’s an easy operation …

It was hard for me to select an ‘event’ – there’ve been plenty. But this one touched my heart. And Prosper’s face is just beautiful and so handsome .. I loved how he was such a comfort to Annatjie.

A Joburg petrol attendant helped a woman with Alzheimer’s contact her family and got her home safely

Our thanks to our hosts this for the month of December. I’m also co-hosting. It would be great if you stopped by them. The stories people tell are sometimes mindblowingly amazing. 

  Shilpa Garg, Inderpreet Uppal, Sylvia Stein, Susan Scott, Andrea Michaels and Damyanti Biswas . Do go by and say hello ..

Should you wish to take part in this awareness initiative of spreading good will, here are a few basic guidelines: posts to be short, below 500 words. Link to a human news story on your blog, one that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood. Paste in an excerpt and tell us why it touched you. No story is too big or small, as long as it goes beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.

 Place the WE ARE THE WORLD badge or banner on your Post and your Sidebar. Some of you have already done so – a gentle reminder for the others. Help us spread the word on social media. Feel free to tweet, share on social media using the #WATWB hashtag to help us trend.

Should you wish to take part this is the link to add your name:-

http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=277138

I was tempted to use a link that Elaine Mansfield sent me in response to my last #WATWB. But I decided to keep it local and current. Elaine’s link is on Irene Sendlerowa (I know of her as Irene Sendler). Her story of rescuing people during in the Warsaw ghetto during WW2 is extraordinary. She died in May 2008. This is the link if you care to check it out. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/15/secondworldwar.poland

May your Thanksgiving be blessed if you’re celebrating it. I hope this finds you well and in good health and cheer.  Thank you for reading and have a great weekend!

#WATWB: Happy Tummy Happy Child

It’s the last Friday of the month and the 7th month in which we post good news stories in We Are The World Blogfest #WATWB. For me, as the day draws near and time is tighter, I wonder about where I’ll find a good news story amongst all the sturm und drang prevalent in the world today.

Then I find there are plenty of stories in South Africa from which to choose. This one appealed to me – uniting against childhood hunger – this is in the wider Cape Town Flats area – and I thought I could link this to myself. I plan to check the Health app on my phone which measures the number of steps I do daily and if for example I do 5000 steps on a day or even 8000 steps in a day, I’ll put a corresponding amount in a jar – 4000 steps is R4.00, 8000 steps is R8 and at the end of the month donate the amount to Blisters for Bread. I’ve already put the jar out on my desk – 

I was telling my son who is visiting from Cape Town about this and he wondered why we don’t just do these things anyway – why people contribute and support when an initiative is eg climbing Kilimanjaro, bicycling across Africa, swimming to Robben Island and so on … I reckon it’s because we like the initiative and to feel part of a community? And we can support anonymously …

A Happy Tummy is a Happy Child

Your cohosts for this month are: Michelle Wallace , Shilpa Garg,  Andrea Michaels,  Peter Nena,  Emerald Barnes. Please link to them in your WATWB posts and go say hi!

These are the guidelines for #WATWB if you’d like to take part –

Keep your post to below 500 words, as much as possible. Link to a human news story on your blog, one that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood. Paste in an excerpt and tell us why it touched you. No story is too big or small, as long as it goes beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.

 Place the WE ARE THE WORLD badge or banner on your Post and your Sidebar. Some of you have already done so, this is just a gentle reminder for the others. Help us spread the word on social media. Feel free to tweet, share using the #WATWB hashtag to help us trend.

Should you wish to take part this is the link to add your name: http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=277138&type=basic;

#WATWB Scarfing around

We Are The World Blogfest posts on the last Friday of every month. This is our 6th month. It is our aim that spreading stories of kindness in action can lessen the impact of dark and depressing news that assails us daily. As it says on its website: “There are many an oasis of love and light out there, stories that show compassion and the resilience of the human spirit. Sharing these stories increases our awareness of hope in our increasingly dark world.”  We thank the following team members for co-hosting this month. Do pop by their posts –
Simon Falk, Roshan Radhakrishnan, Inderpreet Uppal, Lynn Hallbrooks, Eric Lahti, and Mary J Giese,

Even though this story is from May 2017, it bears a re-viewing. We in South Africa are still in winter. I like this initiative; it shows how I and/or we can each do something for those in need. It could be anything really, a packet of food, a small bag of toiletries, a cool drink on a hot day for eg parking attendants.

South Africans are knitting thousands of scarves to leave in public places for those in need

#WATWB

The Kindness of a Stranger

#WATWB posts on the last Friday of each month, as an invitation to inspiration and good news, bringing some cheer into our beleaguered world and the negative press. * see details below if you’d like to take part –

I met a friend for a quick coffee yesterday in the coffee shop at the medical clinic after her visit to a specialist. The medical centre is just up the road from me.

She’s hiring a car at the moment while hers is being fixed from a recent bashing by another car. Spare parts to be ordered from abroad. She was saying over coffee about being anxious and fearful on the road this last while in her hired car and whether being fearful attracts the very thing one fears.

She said: Once upon a time a long while ago she was away on holiday with strict instructions from her boss about the very important meeting on Monday the following week at 7.00 a.m. He also said to her, no breakdowns and inability to attend the meeting. At the time she thought that a very odd comment.

Driving over the Outeniqua Pass on her return to Johannesburg, her car suddenly stopped. Just like that. No warning. Dead. Kaput. I know that Pass – tricky at the best of times. Windy narrow roads, often in mist (one of my own photos) –

A man came by – he arranged for a tow truck and came with her to the next town, a long way away. All distances from one town to the next in the Karoo are long. That town’s car mechanics could not help, and there were no cars for hire in that small town. He drove her in his car to Bloemfontein while her car was towed. By my reckoning, he’d been with her for 700 kms.

In Bloemfontein she was able to hire a car. She was home safe and sound at 5.00 a.m. and in time for the Monday 7.00 a.m. meeting.

 She said that man was so kind, concerned only for her welfare. It was so unexpected she said – in talking with her, we agreed that people are kind, and it is beholden unto us to be kind at all times …

When my sons started driving many years ago I was always concerned about them being on the road. When I told a friend about not wanting to have ‘worrying energy’ about this, she said ‘just put them in the light’ – which is what I do, not only for them then, but for all, now and whenever …

photo is from solar lamp in my garden

This is a monthly post occurring on the last Friday of every month. This is the 4th month in which people all over the world write a heart warming or inspirational story bringing light into this dark & shadowy world we live in.

 I witnessed first hand the magnanimity of humans answering the call for help –

We were down in Plettenberg Bay recently (Garden Route of the South-western Cape) where raging fires had spread from Knysna and surrounding areas to Plettenberg Bay and its’ surrounding areas over several days. Lives were lost. The devastation was huge – homes, farms, vegetation, trees, fynbos, small animals were engulfed in the fires. Estimation of damage in terms of money runs into billions of rands.

In the shopping centre near to our Plett holiday home, a huge store was vacant – until the outpouring of people filled it to the brim – clothing for all ages, food, blankets, toys, cots, water. I volunteered a few times in sorting clothing for children into their appropriate ages and bagging them, to be then collected to get to their distribution points. It was a massive, very well-organised operation over several days, ongoing by the time we left, with hundreds of people offering their time in the sorting of food, clothing and various at different times.

Homes were opened to those displaced, hotels and BnB’s a place to stay free of charge. Banks and business donated millions.

My heart softens when I realise the huge-heartedness of people. Not just South Africans, but people all over the world are ready and willing to help when and where they can. We can extend this kindness in our ordinary everyday lives as well …

‘In a real sense all life is interrelated. All men are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the inter-related structure of reality’. Martin Luther King.

#WATWB

It’s the last Friday of the month; the 2nd time the We Are the World Blogfest is spreading a little light to alleviate the darkness in which we find ourselves.

Ongoing and recent events leave me constantly troubled not only for what’s going on in our neck of the woods but all over our precious planet. There is no need to itemise them. Here in South Africa we are rebelling against all that is corrupt and we’re pulling together on all levels not seen in a long time.

There are so many stories of people and communities coming together in the face of tragedy. And if not in tragedy, then in all sorts of small, kind, gracious  and meaningful ways which, like a pebble tossed into a stream, continues making ripples, spreading ever outwards..

Here’s a map of the world from a very ancient atlas. I occasionally put my hands over this map and ask for healing of our world –

The photo below is one I took a while back of the garden at night where the little solar lamp in the centre throws off shards of light.

I’m imagining that the lamp is each one of us, casting light into the darkness.

May these circles of light encompass each and every one of us, Mother Nature and all her creatures, our planet.

There’s a crack, a crack, in everything, that’s how the light gets in. Leonard Cohen.

Thank you for reading. May the Force be with you.

It’s the last Friday of the month and it’s the aim of ‘We are The World Blogfest’ to shine a little light on any darkness in the world or in ourselves by sharing uplifting stories. This is a once a month happening.

The story I’ve chosen to tell is one that happens often here in South Africa. While our country remains mired in corruption, very shady deals enacted by certain members in our government, thievery and thuggery, there are always people from all walks of life who make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Aesop

A police officer in Cape Town spends his mornings doing the most phenomenal acts of kindness

April A-Z Theme Reveal

Today is the day that we reveal our theme for the annual international April A-Z Blog Challenge. 

I haven’t fully decided on what my theme will be. Most probably on “Aging” excerpting a quote from my and co-author, Dr. Susan Schwartz’s book, ‘Aging & Becoming ~ A Reflective Enquiry’. And elaborating a little. It will be psychological. Not long. We post daily in April, on a topic for each letter of the alphabet, except for Sundays when we get a day of rest.

I’ll also be linking my posts to We Are The World Blogfest (#WATWB) whose aim is to spread love and peace amidst our turbulent world and hopefully telling of positive, even personal, stories where ordinary human kindness is the order of the day. These effects are felt, no matter how small the ripple. This begins next week and continues for a year, posts to be put up on the last Friday of each month.

So, wish me luck. As I wish you, those joining in on this roller coaster ride …

I like this quote below – apt as today is the equinox – equal day and equal night, as the earth tilts on its axis. Here in South Africa, we move towards Autumn, and the northern hemispheres towards spring. I like also what it says about ‘certainty’ – 

“When you’re young you prefer the vulgar months, the fullness of the seasons. As you grow older you learn to like the in-between times, the months that can’t make up their minds. Perhaps it’s a way of admitting that things can’t ever bear the same certainty again.”
― Julian Barnes, Flaubert’s Parrot