Tag Archives: disability

Day 2002: Lessons from 8 Women who’ve made me

“A wise woman wishes to be no one’s enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone’s victim.” – Maya Angelou

It’s 1 : 02 PM on day 2002 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 13, learn one new thing –All jellyfish are Cnidaria, an animal phylum that contains jellies, sea anemones, and corals, among others. There are more than 10,000 species of Cnidaria, and less than 4,000 of these are Medusazoa—those animals we think of as jellyfish. Those 4,000 jellyfish can be divided into four different groups–have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $3 247 only $3 003 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today being International Women’s Day I was thinking about all the woman who’ve impacted my life and I realized I am the sum total of all of them so I took the liberty of writing down my gratitude and some of the lessons I learned from each of them. Take a look:

Lessons from 8 Women who’ve made me

My ammachi (gran [maternal]) – ammachi taught me that even when the worst happens life carries on and we’ll all be more than okay [thinking of you ammachi].
Mommy – mommy taught me to have faith no matter what life throws at me [thank you mommy for bringing me into this world and giving me faith, hope and love I appreciate it always].
Neethu (my kid sister) – Neethu taught me to speak my mind and stand up for myself even when it might piss some people off [thanks Neetz because of you I will never be anybody’s doormat].
Titychechi and Tinuchechi (my cousins) – Titychechi and Tinuchechi taught me how to love but most importantly they taught me to never settle for anything except the best in life [thanks so much for everything chechis I might not need you to read me Rumpelstiltskin anymore but I will always need you].
Gerda Bence (my physiotherapist of almost 13 years) – Gerda taught me that it only takes ONE PERSON to believe in someone’s human potential and make them live up to it (when I was younger every time I went in for my appointment Gerda would ask me how things were going with school which I can’t remember anybody else ever asking me she fully expected me to be somebody in this life) [Gerda thank you so much for believing in me even when I didn’t I now know you were only pushing me because you always saw who I could be].
Nadine Stander (my dentist) – Nadine taught me how infectious passion can be (I’ve been to a lot of dentists in my time but none like her I’ve never meet someone so excited about cleaning teeth there’s a light in her eyes when she works it’s really great) [thanks for the lesson in passion Doc I will carry it with me forever I love you lots always].
Catherine Constantinides – Catherine has taught me courage, integrity and what it means to truly be of service but most of all she has taught me humility (one minute she’s knee-deep in dirt planting food gardens and the next she’s a judge on One Day Leader not everybody who has a life like hers manages to stay grounded in the essence of who they are but somehow she does and God bless her for it) [thanks for everything my dude I can honestly say I am a better human because of you which is why you, my forever and always superhero, are stuck with me for life LOL 🙂 ] .

Day 2001: “Things Not To Say To A South African / African” by Michael Cost

Leave a reply

There are so many misconceptions about South Africa perpetuated by the foreign media – that’s what I need the world to know.

It’s 12 : 02 PM on day 2001 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 12, learn one new thing –The goose was the first bird to be domesticated by man. An ancient story tells how a flock of white geese raised the alarm when Rome was attacked by the Gauls, and thus saved the city.–have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday Debbie McMannis donated $25 (thanks SO MUCH Debbie for your support it means the world to me ) which brings the total raised to $3 247 only $3 003 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Yesterday I watched “Things Not To Say To A South African / African” by Michael Cost and I thought it was hilarious even though I had watched it a few times before the stuff in the video is actually what foreigners say to South Africans I try to laugh it off life is too short to get offended about everything. Watch “Things Not To Say To A South African / African” below:

Day 2000: 2000th Day of Blogging

Leave a reply

“Every time you post something online, you have a choice.
You can either make it something that adds to the happiness levels in the world—or you can make it something that takes away.

I tried to add something by starting Girl Online.

And for a while, it really seemed to be working.

So, next time you go to post a comment or an update or share a link, ask yourself: is this going to add to the happiness in the world?

And if the answer is no, then please delete.

There is enough sadness in the world already. You don’t need to add to it.”

― Zoe Sugg

It’s 12 : 10 PM on day 2000 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 11, learn one new thing –Viruses are not considered “alive” because they lack many of the properties that scientists associate with living organisms. Primarily, they lack the ability to reproduce without the aid of a host cell, and don’t use the typical cell- division approach to replication.–have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $3 222 only $3 028 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today is my 2000^th day of blogging consecutively (I’ve literally blogged every day for the past 2000 days- even when I didn’t have internet I wrote, saved my posts on the laptop and published them later – ) I’ve blogged through illness and grief, I’ve blogged on two different continents, I’ve blogged about everything from my favorite songs to my charity campaigns….basically I write every day about anything that is important to me which is hard sometimes I remember the days following my paternal grandmother’s death I was absolutely broken-hearted all I wanted to do was cry but somehow I managed to get up every day and write something blogging has taught me disciple and vulnerability. Thank you so much to each and every one of you who take time out of your busy day to read my random ramblings I’m most proud that through this blog we’ve been able to support non-profit organizations that make a massive difference in the world.

Day 1999: Leonardo DiCaprio’s speech at the Oscars

Leave a reply

“Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.”- Leonardo DiCaprio

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1999 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 10, learn one new thing – Laughing when tickled in our sensitive spots (under the arms, near the throat and under our feet) could be a defensive mechanism. Research suggests that we have evolved to send this signal out to show our submission to an aggressor, to dispel a tense situation and prevent us from getting hurt. –have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday Anatoli donated $10 (thanks SO MUCH Anatoli for your ongoing support it means the world to me ) which brings the total raised to $3 222 only $3 028 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Recently I watched Leonardo DiCaprio’s speech at the Oscars he did the usual thank-yous then it’s like he flipped a switch and turned into an environmentalist it was fantastic to see a person with influence intentionally using his influence for the greater good. Watch Leonardo DiCaprio’s speech at the Oscars below:

Day 1998: 5 Things You Should NEVER Do To A Differently-Abled Person

Leave a reply

The road to hell is paved with good intentions – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 12 : 30 PM on day 1998 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 9, learn one new thing –AU measures the distance of the Earth to the Sun. At its closest point, Pluto is only 29 astronomical units from the Sun (4.4 billion km or 2.75 billion miles). And at its most distant, it can be 49 AU (7.29 billion km, or 4.53 billion miles) from the Sun.– have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $3 212 only $3 038 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Yesterday I uploaded a video titled “5 Things You Should NEVER Do To A Differently-Abled Person” because well-intentioned though most people are some of them do to me what I would NEVER do to another differently-abled person. Watch “5 Things You Should NEVER Do To A Differently-Abled Person” below:

Day 1997: Down for the count

Leave a reply

Sometimes it’s okay to admit that you’re down for the count and rest– that’s what I realized this morning.

It’s 12 : 25 PM on day 1997 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 8, learn one new thing – It is not true, as is commonly believed, that bulls have horns and cows do not: the presence of horns depends on the breed, or in horned breeds on whether the horns have been disbudded (conversely, in many breeds of sheep it is indeed only the males which have horns). – have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – a chechi (who I think would prefer to remain anonymous) donated $25 (thanks so much chechi ) which brings the total raised to $3 212 only $3 038 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

This morning after a horrible night’s sleep (I think something was biting me so I spent most of the night trying to scratch myself) I decided to lay in bed an extra hour I always tell myself the show must go on but I have realized that sometimes it’s okay to admit that you’re down for the count and rest.

Day 1996: Vernon Bernard’s on The Voice South Africa

Leave a reply

The only disability in life is a bad attitude – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 12 : 17 PM on day 1996 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 7, learn one new thing – Only 3% of the lands water is fresh and out of that fresh water 68.7% is locked in our ice caps and glaciers – have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – uncle Abraham Matthew donated $25 (thanks so much uncle ) which brings the total raised to $3 187 only $3 063 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Recently I watched Vernon Bernard’s rendition of “Story of my Life” on The Voice South Africa what’s unique about Vernon is that despite his blindness – he was born with glaucoma and lost his sight completely by age 6 – he lives fully and what I love about this audition is that the judges picked him purely based on talent not because he was blind (I always used to wonder (and sometimes still do) are people helping me because they truly believe in what I’m doing or because they feel sorry for me I am learning not to project my insecurities on others but even if I’m not imagining things and some people do pity me if that pity causes them to do some good then the world is better because I have Cerebral Palsy). Watch Vernon Bernard’s audition on The Voice South Africa below:

Day 1995: How to be okay when things are not okay

Leave a reply

Pray when you don’t feel like it and be grateful when you don’t feel like it– that’s the secret to being okay even when things are not okay.

It’s 10 : 46 AM on day 1995 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 6, have breakfast, learn one new thing – The man who solved the elevator safety problem, making skyscrapers possible, was Elisha Otis, who is generally known as the inventor of the modern elevator. In 1852, Otis came up with a design that had a safety “brake.” – and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $3 162 only $3 088 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today I realized that the secret to being okay even when things are not okay is to pray when you don’t feel like it and be grateful when you don’t feel like it.

Day 1994: Big Risk, Embarrassment and Big Reward

Leave a reply

With big risk comes big reward or embarrassment – that’s what I’ve realized.

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1994 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 5, learn one new thing – All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and godesses. The name Earth is an English/German name which simply means the ground. It comes from the Old English words ‘eor(th)e’ and ‘ertha’. In German it is ‘erde’. – have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday Susanchechi donated $25, Reshma Jacob donated $50 and another chechi (who I think would prefer to remain anonymous) donated $50 (thanks so much you guys your support means the world to me ) which brings the total raised to $3 162 only $3 088 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today I realized that with big risk comes big reward or embarrassment I tend to put myself out there and ask people for things that other people would be too embarrassed to ask for and sometimes it works out really well while other times I’m left red-faced either way I carry on secure in the knowledge that regardless of how the world responds I will survive and I will thrive.

Day 1993: Because it’s hard

Leave a reply

Because it’s hard that’s why I have to do everything – that’s what I realized yesterday.

It’s 12 : 47 PM on day 1993 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 4, learn one new thing –Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. A block of dry ice has a surface temperature of -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit (-78.5 degrees C). Dry ice also has the very nice feature of sublimation — as it breaks down, it turns directly into carbon dioxide gas rather than a liquid. – go to church, hang with family, have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – Meg Guegan donated $25 (thanks Meg for your ongoing support it means the world to me 🙂 ) which brings the total raised to $3 037 only $3 213 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Yesterday I went to the CANSA Shavathon (it had ended by the time we go there but that’s besides the point) I made up my mind to go precisely because it was so much effort I figured if people saw me there they would understand that even though they’re struggling and imperfect they can show up and be of service to humanity.