Things have a way of working out –that’s what I keep realizing.
It’s 5: 00 PM on day 1836 of my journey towards independence traveled from Johannesburg to our hometown – they were some almost major hiccups with our re-booked domestic flight but we dealt with it and got home in the end all’s well that ends well 🙂 – had lunch at my uncle’s and spent time with the cousins.
Yesterday our connecting flight to our hometown got moved up and as a result we had to stay the night in Johannesburg which worked out for me because I got to meet my hero without a cape, Catherine Constantinides, in the flesh (I’ve been tweeting with her forever) she is an epic human being whose outer beauty only pales in comparison to her inner beauty and humility I so admire and love her…I’m a fangirl now and forevermore.
Be grateful for all that you have some people are not so fortunate – that’s my message to the world.
It’s 12 : 14 PM on day 1874 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Acts 19, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish myKid of the Week feature, learn one new thing –Slavish [slav·ish] adj. Showing no originality; blindly imitative: “A slavish copy of the original work.” – have breakfast and hang out with my family.
This morning I was thinking about the Western Sahara and the Saharawi people – the Western Sahara has been illegally occupied by Morocco for the past FORTY YEARS which forced the Saharawi people to seek refuge in south-west Algeria – I cannot imagine what it’s like for the Saharawi people they have lived in those tents for forty years basically cut off from the rest of the world with just enough food to survive and hope that they will one day return to their home it’s just not fair that some people have to live in such unliveable conditions while the rest of us sleep on comfy beds and have more than enough of everything to survive and thrive. To the U.N and the African Union: PLEASE put more pressure on Morocco to leave the Western Sahara. To the rest of us: Let’s raise some hell on behalf of the Saharawi people they have suffered for forty years too long. Special thanks to my hero without a cape Catherine Constantinides who takes every opportunity to tell the world about the Saharawi people after having spent ten days with them in the refugee camp (dude you rock I love you to the moon and back).
To raise awareness about the plight of the Saharawi people please share Gareth Cliff’s interview with Catherine Constantinides far and wide
“If we don’t invest in looking after our natural heritage, our children and our grandchildren will suffer. We must protect the environment for the generations that we’ll never meet.” – Catherine Constantinides
It’s 12 : 05 PM on day 1847 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read John 13, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing –Capacious [ca·pa·cious] adj. Having a lot of space inside; roomy. “A capacious closet.”- have breakfast and go shopping with the parents – both my parents are teachers and it’s spring break here so everyone’s on holiday for a week (Happy World Teacher’s Day mommy and daddy I know your job is thankless and often heartbreaking but you get up every day and have hope for your students and for that I thank you 🙂 ).
Last night I watched season 3 episode 5 of 21 Icons featuring climate activist and humanitarian Catherine Constantinides admittedly I’m grossly biased towards Catherine I so admire who she is as a person and the work she does it’s rare that you can see how you feel inside in another person but I can honestly say in Catherine I see the fire I feel inside myself it’s really hard to explain it’s passion, laser-like focus and the drive to succeed. Watch season 3 episode 5 of 21 Icons featuring the EXTRAORDINARY Catherine Constantinides below:
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” ― Socrates
It’s 1 : 12 PM on day 1818 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Luke 8, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish myKid of the Week feature, have breakfast, learn one new thing –Although your retinas have red, green and blue colour receptors, the “red” receptor only detects yellow-green, and the “green” receptor detects blue-green. Your brain combines these signals and turns them into red. – and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 710 raised so far (thanks so much for the support everyone I’m going to find a way to get the $290 I need to get to $5000 [when the going gets tough the tough call on God and work their butts off 🙂 )
Today is the season 3 premiere of 21 Icons – 21 Icons captures human achievement through photography, film and narratives season 3 focuses on 21 people who are shaping South Africa – I watched bits and pieces of season 1 and 2 but I plan to watch the whole of season 3 because it’s a great series and because Catherine Constantinides is one of the 21 Icons (I’m SO PROUD of her she was an icon to me way before she was one of the 21 Icons now the whole country and the world will see just how awesome she is [shame my poor family and Facebook friends are probably sick of me talking about Catherine but they’ll just have to put up with it because I will do EVERYTHING I can to help her before her I felt like I was alone in my mission to make a difference it’s quite something to realize that there are other people out there like you]). Watch the Season 3 premiere of 21 Icons tonight at 7: 27 PM on SABC 3 (If you don’t live in South Africa worry not I will share the episodes on this blog as soon as they are online).
Love is not something that is earned it’s something that is given to you freely all you can do is accept it with grace and try to put a fraction of it back into the world – that’s what I am beginning to realize.
It’s 12 : 56 PM on day 1814 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to read Luke 4, publish my Disability of the Dayfeature, have breakfast, learn one new thing –It would take hundreds of thousands of moons to equal the brightness of the sun.The full moon shines with a magnitude of -12.7, but the sun is 14 magnitudes brighter, at -26.7. The ratio of brightness of the sun versus the moon amounts to a difference of 398,110 to 1.– pray, and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 710 raised so far with only 31 days to go. Can we get to $5 000? (she asks with no shame LOL 🙂 ).
Yesterday being Spring Day Catherine Constantinides planted a lemon tree in my honour (thanks so much Catherine it’s one of the sweetest things anybody has ever done in my name in my 24 years of life [see Catherine’s tweet about the lemon tree below] ) often I see the world’s generosity and love towards me and I wonder what I ever did to deserve it but I’m beginning to realize that love is not something that is earned it’s something that is given to you freely all you can do is accept it with grace and try to put a fraction of it back into the world.
“My message to women during Women’s Month and every day of the year is simple; “Women empower, girls compete!” Strive to empower and inspire other women and remember that by lighting somebody else’s candle, it takes no light away from the one you are holding. Never be scared to give credit and praise where it is due.” – Catherine Constantinides, [#WomenInBiz] Nurturing nature, Q&A with Catherine Constantinides
It’s 12 : 11 PM on day 1808 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, read Mark 14, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – Tigers live alone and aggressively scent-mark large territories to keep their rivals away. – have breakfast, and promote my Educate Generations campaign –Tom Baldwin of Early & Baldwin Solicitors donated $20 yesterday (thanks Tom you’re ongoing support means the world to me) which brings my total raised to a staggering $4 621 so far (thanks SO MUCH God and everyone I don’t know what I did to deserve such amazing support from everyone around the world I am sincerely humbled by the world’s generosity the amount somebody donated is of little importance to me (although the more the better LOL 🙂 ) the fact that people give the money they worked hard for to help me make a difference is what really means a lot to me 🙂 .
Today is the birthday of the extraordinary Catherine Constantinides she’s a business mogul, humanitarian, environmentalist, Lead SA Executive and Executive Director of Miss Earth South Africa by day and a mother all the time Catherine’s accomplishments are probably ten pages long but what I admire most about her is the way she lives I am constantly inspired by her passion, sense of purpose and focus and humbled by her humility. Happy Birthday Catherine I think you’re very kickass (whenever you decide to run for President of our beautiful country please know that I will be first in line at the polling station voting for you because I truly believe that your intention is to make South Africa and the world a better place).
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” -Joseph Campbell
It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1712 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Hosea 11, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – Ancient Romans called giraffes “camelopards,” describing them as hybrid animals with camel bodies and leopard spots. The animal’s scientific name, Giraffa camelopardalis is a nod to this. – feed myself peanut butter and sandwich for breakfast, make sandwiches for our sisi’s (housekeeper’s) neighborhood with sisi’s help as part of Virginia’s Sandwich Run –(thank you sisi for all your help) – and promote my Educate Generations campaign–$2 954 raised so far (thanks guys ).
Two days ago I listened to Gareth’s Guests, “19 May Catherine Constantinides” – Gareth Cliff’s interview with mother, humanitarian and Executive Director of Miss Earth South Africa, Catherine Constantinides – I can count on two hands the people in this world that I have a deep admiration for Catherine happens to be one of them I have never heard of anyone going to Algeria and living in a tent for TEN DAYS to help the Saharawi people (refugees in Algeria) I know that it’s probably not a good idea to put anyone on a pedestal since nobody’s perfect but I don’t expect anyone I admire and love to be perfect I just expect them to be the best versions of themselves every day I am confident Catherine will not disappoint. Listen to Gareth’s Guests, “19 May Catherine Constantinides” below:
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