Lyftaal

Sonder om 'n enkele woord te sê.
Het jy vanaand stories vertel.
Ek het elke woord gelees.
Jou oë se volsinne
Jou lyftaal se paragrawe.
Ek het dit ingeneem, geabsorbeer.
Rusteloos rondgerol, want my hele wese wou reageer.

2 September 2005

"'n Hart verskil van dag tot dag"

F.A. Venter skryf in sy boek, " Man van Ciréne":

"het jy al ooit 'n sonop gesien wat net soos 'n ander sonop is, of twee bome wat eenders is. of twee wolke wat soos 'n tweeling lyk?
Dit is onmoontlik. Nou hoe kan 'n hart dan aldag dieselfde wees? Die een dag is daar woede en die een dag is daar vrede. Die een is daar vreugde en die ander dag is daar leed...is dit nie so nie? 'n Hart verskil van dag tot dag."

Vandaar die volgende poging in die bittere winter van Augustus 2004:

Die staalband om my hart trek stywer, wurg die laaste asem uit my uit -
die pyn is helder soos rivierwater wat vloei met die uitgelegde pad na
ledemate se einde en dam daar op in plasse pyn, sodat vingerpunte
my hart se dood eggo.

En skielik verstaan ek waarom ek sukkel om lief te hê. In die winter van 2007 was daar weer pyn, maar ook vreugde vir nuutgevonde vriendskappe en ek glo volgende winter gaan daar volslae vreugde wees. 'n Hart verskil van dag tot dag.

Everybody knows a broken heart keeps on beating.
(1 September 2004)

Any other way?

Mediocrity has always been a safe place for me. Average.
But these days, with everything in my life pointing towards "more"
I have to start dealing with "more" - "above average" - "better"
rObC bought the soundtrack of Shrek the Third and there I found this little GEM.
I think this will be the theme song to all the new adventures I intend to accumulate!
This song makes me feel..
I imagine the wind blowing through my hair and my heart soars!




Other Ways - Trevor Hall

As I walk one day
I feel like a clown
in a circus of my own,
oh, my cover, it's blown.
Feel like I got a heart made of teer,
I thought of you this mornin'.

Well I sleep into a stay
as I awake, well,
I start to frown
but than I can't get your smoke out of my eyes.
I guess I lose, guess you win,
I thought of you this mornin'.

Well, I think about all the other ways I could have played,
all the other simple moves I could have made,
all the other calls that I could have dealt,
all the books I didn't read upon my shelf,
all the other ways I could have sung my songs -
realize that none of it went wrong...it was all play -
how could it be any other way?
How could it be any other way?

Now that the chains are off I'm free to roll.
Everywhere I go I feel like I'm home.
Nothing hides, everything is shown,
Cesar is with me, I'm never alone.
Guess you lose, guess you win,
I thought of you this mornin'
Well, I think about all the other ways I could have played,
all the other simple moves I could have made,
all the other calls that I could have dealt,
all the books I didn't read upon my shelf,
all the other ways I could have sung my songs -
I realize that none of it went wrong...it was all play -
how could it be any other way?

How could it be any other way? (repeat)

With my heart soaring it feels much easier to do "better" and "more"!
This is going to be fun!

de Priester converted me..

The blurry photo is Jak de Priester with some of the Primary School Choirs in Bloemfontein.

Last night I dreaded going to another choir performance of my daughter's School's Junior Choir. Luckily some person realised that sitting and listening to choirs sing for 3 - 4 hours is sheer torture and does not promote ticket sales. Ticket sales are usually the parents that feel obliged to attend everything their children participate in - either because of feelings of guilt or real interest.. I fall into the guilt category. Anyways..

So there we sat for 1 and a half hour listening to choirs and ignoring our butts dying beneath us. And then... Just before we finally fell asleep, up comes Jak with his sparkling stage personality and stories that borders on-stand up comedy

and he makes us forget about the time and sore butts.

He was really good with the children and they loved performing with him.

My personal opinion of him has changed - my scepticism has changed to slight optimism, although I will still not buy his CD, not yet anyways, I believe that he has more talent than most Afrikaans up and coming artists who get by on their good looks and/or their six-packs..I know a couple that are totally useless without downing a six-pack or bottle before a show. Jak writes his own songs, songs that we average mortals can relate to and now that I know the background behind some of the songs - I actually enjoyed them.. What I enjoyed most was Jak's energy on stage..he does not stand still for one second - I really tried my best to get a photo that was not blurred but that seemed impossible. His energy also seemed contagious, because the audience was quickly woken up and soon were clapping and sometimes even singing with Jak.

Best of luck Jak - will be watching you.

Chris van der Westhuizen accompanied him, and BOY can he play a keyboard.

I found myself at times watching his performance more than Jak's..

What a brilliant musician!! (and handsome as well)..

We survived the evening and I saw a couple of faces in the audience that I know are not parents, so they must be FANS!! Up goes the ticket sales!

Now I hope that the next organiser of a choir festival takes note of this concert formula

and applies it in future..or I might just have to get over my feelings of guilt..but that's a story for another day.

BC

As KatieB was so kind to post some MX photos when I was not able to I have done likewise, this was one of the Toyotas that had me amazed as they raced through the stage at the Bloemfontein Showgrounds last Friday. That was Before the Crash that was...

One way or another I want to give her an opportunity to try her hand at being navigator, so the plan will be to organise a straight line rally sometime this year. So keep those thumbs crossed.

We have also exchanged keys to our blogs as these past events have made us realize that it is sometimes good to have a backup plan in place. I am honoured to be your plan B.

The Essence

The Essence of Pleasure is Spontaneity

Sunset in winter

As promised, the photo of sunset over Bloemfontein.

Ever since I saw the sunset from this particular spot I've wanted to share this with you.

So ENJOY!

Themes

Paulo Coelho in his book "The Alchemist" writes:

“When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true.”

I want to confirm this statement.
I've been a Shop Steward for more than 5 years and not until just now - did I notice that the Unions slogan "Working together for you" seems to be confirming the theme that is dominating my life.

Everything around me, and I mean EVERYTHING has been pointing my thoughts in the direction of realizing my dreams in life.

Yesterday I walk into a second hand bookshop to find Oriah Mountain Dreamer's - The Invitation. I cannot believe that any person could possibly want to get rid of this book and I therefore believe that it is an omen that it came across my path. Again, confirming the current theme in my life.. Just listen to these amazing words..they touch my soul.

The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream,
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring yourmoon.
I want to know if you have touched the center of yourown sorrow,
if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled
and closed from fear of further pain!

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,
withoutmoving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own,
if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill
you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful,
to be realistic, to remember the limitations of
being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another to be trueto yourself;
if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul;
if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's
not pretty, every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine,
and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the
company you keep in the empty moments.