What a week this has been!
Linda died. Although I am still a relative newbie to this board and can't say I had the honour of knowing her, I am so touched at the outpouring of love that I have seen - and priviledged that I can be a member of this community! My heart goes out to those near and dear to her and especially Trev!
An old friend, based in the UAE, passed away after two weeks on life support following a car accident. He was a young man, larger than life and so loved - in the prime of his life - and a lifesaver too! I hadn't seen him in years but will miss him nonetheless.My heart goes out to his fiance, mom and daughter who are all devastated by the loss of this wonderful man.
Lucky Dube - an musical icon in my country - was murdered in a horrific incident of crime last night, and in the very suburb that I grew up in! So sad and so scary - how I hate fearing for my life and the lives of the people I care about due to the crime that rips this wonderful country apart.
My beautiful shop, that I have spent a great part of this year working and putting my heart into, is opening for business for the last time tomorrow. I have had good days and bad days and I have made wonderful friends, but I have decided that the stress involved in trying to build this business to a point where it is profitable is just more than I can handle, especially without the capital that it requires to make it a success. I am putting my husband and children first now and going back to being a salaried employee.
But before you think that I am about to slit my wrists with a rusty blunt knife... there are great things afoot too!
I am starting a new and exciting job in just a few days - a job that I would not have gotten were it not for the experience that I gained in this last endevour of mine as well as for the fantastic people I met during this experience! A job that is getting me a foot in the door of the career of my dreams!
After trying for years to have a baby, failed ivf treatments, miscarriages and even twins that were stillborn at 7months, my very oldest friend had a beautiful healthy baby girl yesterday! I cannot imagine the pure joy she must be feel now after all these years of sadness and disappointment. To my dear friend, congratulations and nobody deserves this bundle of joy more than you!
And finally - as I drove to work this morning, every second person I saw was wearing either a replica green and gold rugby jersey, a green t-shirt or a Springbok Cap in support of our country's rugby team which plays in the World Cup Final tomorrow night. I even saw people wearing bokke scarves (in this warm spring weather). The show of patriotism and unity in a country that clearly has a lot of problem is phenomenal.
I was moved to tears as I saw this spectacle, and I am not even a sport fan - maybe it was just the build up of emotion after the events of the last few days? If that was my reaction upon waking this morning, I dread to think what I will be like after we win tomorrow night!
Thanks for listening!