Pre-conceived Ideas

Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom. ~Merry Browne



We all plan, even if we try not to plan, somewhere in the back of your mind you try to prepare yourself for the future ahead.


In order to plan we need to create a picture of what we expect to happen in the future. We base this picture on many events from both our past and future. Most of us won’t start to plan our own wedding unless we have met a candidate that suits the description of future husband.


Planning in itself is an act that should bring us re-assurance, and ensure that our lives are heading in a certain direction. But with planning also comes a certain element of rigidity. If we do not control the action of planning, we can very easily become slaves of what I call the pre-conceived planning syndrome.


People suffering from this syndrome feel uncomfortable when life events do not happen according to their plans. Once an event does not fall within their planning schedule they either ignore it or try to change it.


Unfortunately there are many side effects of the pre-conceived planning syndrome. The sufferers feel that they lack energy, a vision. Their lives are predictable without excitement and adventure.


To all sufferers there is some good news. There are many ways to overcome the syndrome. One is to still plan – after all we all need some sort of security, but see the planning as part of the adventure. What do I mean by that? Rather view a plan as a framework, within which you can deviate and change. So make your plans broad and generalised, with enough room for growing and breathing. By doing this you will also find, that with time you handle events outside of your planning schedule with more ease.


Always remember – life is not meant to be planned, it is meant to be lived.

Sjokolade

"The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson



Thomas Jefferson was definitief ‘n man voor sy tyd. Ek kan net dink dat sy sjokolade-uitlating heel waarskynlik destyds met antagonisme begroet was.


Maar inderdaad, ‘n onlangse meta-analise van data het getoon dat gereelde sjokolade inname ‘n direkte effek op kardiovaskulệre risiko het. Dit verlaag die risiko vir hartsiekte met omtrent 37% en die risiko vir beroerte met 29%. Die blye nuus gekoppel hieraan is dat dit onafhanklik is van die tipe sjokolade. Goeie nuus vir die Cadbury-liefhebbers, wat maar langtand aan ‘n stukkie donkersjokolade wurg.


Ons leef mos maar almal vir daardie klein plesiertjies in die lewe. Sjokolade is definitief een van myne.


Wat dit soveel meer spesiaal maak, is dat die keuses oneinding is. Tog het ons almal ‘n gunsteling – daardie een sjokolade wat ‘n gaatjie regdeur die harstnare boor.


Sjokolade is altyd ‘n welcome geskenk, want voel jy te skuldig om dit self aan te skaf, kan jy beslis nie te skuldig voel wanneer jy dit as geskenk ontvang het nie. Niemand kyk ‘n gegewe sjokoladeperk in die bek nie.



Sjokolade is veelsydig. Dit was met vreugde dat ek die laaste tyd die kookneigings dopgehou het – deesdae is sjokolade beslis nie meer net op die poedingpyskaart nie.


Behalwe dat ek sjokolade geniet en waardeer, is daar soveel herinneringe in sjokolade-ervarings opgesluit. Ek sal altyd Nutties assosieer met aande by die staatsteater, Astros as flieksjokolade en vir my en Mario het Lindorballetjies ‘n spesiale betekenis, want ons het ‘n ritueel dat jy met toe oë ‘n Lindorballetjie uit die boks moet kies.


Wel, een dink is verseker – met die blye nuus dat Thomas Jefferson toe al die jare reg was oor die gesondheisvoordele van sjokolade inname, is daar geen keer meer nie. Een ding sal beslis nooit weer deel van my sjokolade oomblikke wees nie – skuldgevoel.

Proposing a Toast

Proposing a toast or drinking a toast to someone has a few explanations. Most of them does relate to actual toast though. According to legend the word is derived from the 18th century English custom of covering a glass of hot wine with a slice of toast. It was then passed around the table. Each person had the opportunity to lift the toast, take a sip of wine and say a few words. The glass ended up with the person being “toasted”, who got to eat the piece of bread.
I am always interested in these useless, but very interesting bits of information.


Another interesting custom around the drinking table is the lifting and touching of glasses. There was also significance in that. The touching of the glasses, while people were looking each other in the eye had the purpose of actually mixing the content of your own glass with that of the person you were toasting with. In that way you it was ensured that nobody at the table were at the risk of being poisoned.


All very interesting, but through reading it all I realised that the act of dining and having a drink together is very significant. It is an opportunity to wish someone well, an opportunity to interact, find out how someone is really doing. I think it is very difficult to hide being unwell, when you have to eat in front of someone else.


I find the whole act of eating very intimate, almost holy. It is time during the day, when I am nurturing my own body, and it is always a privilege to share it with people who are close to you and whom you love.


Jesus also realised the importance of eating and breaking of bread together. There are so many of his wonders that revolve around eating and drinking. He also chose bread and wine as symbols for his body and blood that he spilled on the cross for us.


I believe that we should treat every opportunity to have a meal with someone we love with the utmost respect.


Make time to do that. And propose a piece of toast to an honorary guest.

Reminders

Definition: To put in mind. Something that reminds someone of something



Nobody can deny that our lives are busy. We run along our busy schedules, hoping that we will be able to keep the wheels of the cart from falling off sometimes.


In the process of running such a busy schedule, we have to constantly remind ourselves of what needs to happen next. The current moment with all its obligations and challenges takes up all our energy and attention.


I live by my diary – I am still very fond of paper. Maybe I feel that it is more tangible, more patient and like me prefers a slower pace. I know that everything that goes into my diary will get done, because there is a new page for every day. That is how I remember meetings, birthdays, to do lists.


A diary for me is an investment; I carry this companion with me for a whole year. My diary becomes a constant reminder that I have to be somewhere, do something, and be of value and worth to those around me. You want to mess with me, and then mess with my diary.


Every day I need these small reminders, a scribble on a piece of paper, the alarm clock ringing through my ears. All of them are gentle (others not so gentle) tangible elements to put something into my mind.


We need tangible things to remind us of what is important in our lives. Not only what we need to do, or where we need to be, but also of what we believe in, where we have been and travelled. From this alone you can gather that I am very sentimental. I realised this last week when I bought the ugliest bracelet form Exclusive Books, in support of the war against rhino poaching. I am wearing my bracelet every day. Every time I look down at this hideous red and black bangle, I remember who I am. I remember that I am passionate about conservation, that I would like to see that animals are protected from human evil, that I would like to teach my children respect and love for nature, that I would like to be remembered as someone who lived with a very light carbon footprint. That defines me.


Take a moment to evaluate all the reminders in your life. What do they tell about you? Does every reminder form part of your passion in life, or are you only reminded every day about negative things, that maybe should have been forgotten long ago.


Take time, put positive reminders into your life, putting into your mind what is truly important for you and those around you.