Oh to see the dawn on the darkest day

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w3w89L7mp0

The song is 100% worth a listen!

Inspiration strikes me at the weirdest times for sure! For no more reason than maybe the song I am just currently listening to (Thanks Ramsay Collins once again for a real masterpiece)

So, for those of you who don’t know, I work in health and for the government and some days I honestly wonder why.

A good day consists of a cute baby, a language we can both understand and if it’s a really good day, my patient is compliant too!

A not so good day consists of billions of patients wanting a disability grant for their pain.

bleargh.

I think that the abovementioned song hit me so hard today because all too often I find myself losing my cool -until I need someone else’s help and they start huffing and puffing at my ignorance!

So, I think that if you listen to the lyrics of that song and if you are on my wave level, the point that I am trying to make is that we are all poor – we are all powerless.. we all mess up and make mistakes.. we don’t always have a clue what to do next, where to go next and sometimes even when we know, we are afraid and need someone to believe in us so we have the courage to take that next step! What a privilege to be able to help a fellow human in that way?! It goes so much more beyond doing a good deed for the day ;) It requires giving a bit of your heart to the person whom you are inspiring..

SO, challenge to myself and to you if you’re willing to do this with me..

GO THE EXTRA MILE for someone who needs it! Help that person help themselves! Give someone a fishing rod and teach them how to fish. Ok, I’ll stop with the corny metaphors.

But for realises, how much better would our city, country, world be if we just bothered to help one another out once in a while.

Pictures found on Pinterest: The Poor and Powerless

Pablo's big break!

So, imagine this.. You've just had an EPIC holiday in mozam with a bunch of really KIFF mates, you're already feeling bleak about having to return to 'normal' life in Humansdorp (where IS that?!) when suddenly, you remember your car keys are in a cute little drawer back in Durbs.. EISH!
Luckily, with 10 whole minutes before my plane landed, I managed to pull a plan together. Here is how the rest of the day and subsequent week turned out
Tues:
PROBLEM: need to get to work in Jbay
SOLUTION: Hire car!
PROBLEM: spare car key in flat, flat key in car
SOLUTION: Get locksmith to break into flat and retrieve spare key
PROBLEM: Car is in PE
SOLUTION: Make an event out of the PE trip by having dinner with a lovely friend and a fun sleepover!

Thurs:
PROBLEM: original car key has not yet arrived
SOLUTION: wait

Fri:
PROBLEM: still no car key!
SOLUTION: wait
PROBLEM: Elani needs to go to the airport in PE
SOLUTION: Make it a fun mini road trip with dress shopping at YDE and yummo sushi at Fushin
PROBLEM: Discovery that spare car key is now missing too
SOLUTION: ... ... ... wait for original car key to arrive

Mon:
PROBLEM: truckers are striking and therefore still no key!
SOLUTION: Wait

Tues:
PROBLEM: my flat key got stuck in the door when the delivery guy came
SOLUTION: left flat door wide open while signing delivery papers downstairs
(I've edited out more than 50% of the struggles I faced in getting my car keys back!)
FINALLY after many unsuccessful phone calls and MUCH confusion, Pablo's extended stay outside of Elani's flat ended and he was more than happy to head on back home.

WHAT could I have possibly learnt other than an immense amount of patience you ask? KINDNESS
As you may well imagine, this week long torment has lead me to encounter many individuals. Some of whom were inexplicably kind and others who just were not.
The overwhelming comfort and relief I experienced when coming into contact with those few genuine, friendly people who were willing to go out of their way to help me probably will never know that this week they helped to save my sanity!
So, the next time an individual comes up to you, with that crazy kind of look in their eyes, take a minute to remember that sometime, you're gonna need the help of a stranger too! Lets be patient and kind towards those we know and even those we don't,  because we never really know what others are going through and the impact we are able to make in their lives just with a little smile (=

[Thanks to MUMFORD AND SONS for an incredible album in Babel and thanks to the AWESOME guy at Budget Car Hire, Troy Marais (you champion), Noma at UTi, my rad delivery guy and those who lifted me around! Your kindness is MUCH appreciated!]

me? excessive? NEVER!

Photo: Tricia Mckellar
Listening to: Frankie Rose - Pair of Wings

if you put the hauntingly awesome sound of this woman's voice aside, the lyrics themselves are nothing short of inspiring. My favourite lines are "On clouds I'll sing and dance, I just might fall but I'll take that chance"

most of the time, a song convicts me on something i KNOW i should do but dont.. How often do we stand on the ground, only to stare up at the clouds, instead of allowing ourselves to live on them! We live vicariously through movies, or books, or those who have been brave enough to take the chances that we should have.

im not saying quit your job, sell your things and couch surf around the world for the rest of your life. but i am saying we are creatures of habit.. So find yours, break them and find the little things in life that make you feel like you're living in the clouds.

if its in chocolate - eat your chocolate. if its in nature - find that quiet, beautiful place and retreat. if its in music - play your song on full volume and let it transport you. whatever it is - find it, do it, and do it often.

Credit must be given to Nick Meinert, without whom i would probably never have found Frankie Rose.