"Think back, live today, look forward."

As I drove in my car this advertisement from SABC1 beside the road, with the fragmented heading and the silhouette of a child running carefree, got stuck in my thoughts.

The fragmented straight forward approach of the motto caught my eye. Instantly life is divided into three different paradigms. It is between those three paradigms that we daily place ourselves, that we live in. The present, past and the future.

Daily we have to decide, through our thoughts, actions and attitudes what weight we are going to attach to those three components in our lives.
The importance we give to the different components moulds our relationships, our spirit and that which we ultimately become.

We all have a past, a part of our lives that has gone by. We can't change it, make it worse or better. The only thing we can change is our attitude and thoughts that govern our memories.

The present, the here and now. That is where the challenge lies. It is the palette for our memories. It is happening as we speak, so we can't plan it. While we are contemplating our actions it slips through our fingers.

The future, tactically we will never get there. Like candy floss we will always taste it, but before we are able to grasp its contents it vanishes.

What makes this simple motto so effective is the fact that it assigns a certain weight to all three, to balance our thoughts and streamline our attitudes.

Think back
The way to treat the past. Don't live there, but visit there often through the vehicle of thought. Extract from it wisdom gained through mistakes and failure, brew on pleasant memories, strengthen your soul through memory aids - photo's, writings...
But do not stay too long. It is not a place for the living.

Look forward
It is there where the future lies. The eyes are the window to the soul. It is wise to let the light of the future enlighten the mind. To have a vision, a purpose, to plan with optimism ahead yet staying realistic without underlying pessimism. That is looking forward. You can't look forward if you are not enjoying the present. Looking forward gives perspective, helping us to use the present more wisely. Never visit the future though. Never try to put yourself there with the aim to conquer the future. The future is not to be conquered.

The answer, the missing link to a perfect balance lies in the treatment of the present.
Live today.
Grasp your current situation, use every minute of your day wisely, focusing on what you're doing now, while extracting wisdom from the past and aiming for the future. We will never be able to regret a life lived. Those who live each day die young, regardless of their age.

We only become old once regret has replaced our dreams. Straight forward: when the past and future has switched places. Once that has happened we can't live.

All around us people are stuck daily in the mud of their past failure and pain. Others again, has lost faith in the present, and too scared to live try to build a fictive place in the future. You either hide in the past or the future. There is no hiding place in the present. The present can only be faced boldly, honestly.
Once you start living you will get hurt. But those who have lived once will always be at peace with themselves.

Bagdad

"Every time you kill somebody, you kill a part of yourself."
Soldier in Iraq

"Wat gewees het, dit sal daar weer wees, en wat gebeur het, dit sal weer gebeur, en daar is glad niks nuuts onder die son nie."
Prediker 1:9

Those who die can tell
the world is turning on itself
a flashback tale of heaven-hell?

the ones we killed
are killing still
they haunt your dreams, they
aim sharp shoot skilled
at those whose lies
created these war cries.

Day by day between these ruins
the sound of war
missile through children's eyes
they say their prayers, last goodbyes
we offer our lives,
bombarding truth for more heroic lies.

Those who died can tell
the world is turning on itself.
Here we stand caught up in time
deceived, betrayed, war becomes the crime.

There is no end they say
life an endless war
fear, greed, power greet the day

In the end unarmed
we fight
our own echoes of fame,
no victory, just shame in sight.

Geskenk

Everyday is a gift from God, that's why it is called the present.

Elke oggend word toegedraai in 'n lagie ongekende moontlikhede, versier met linte kreatiwiteit en energie en word klokslag met die lui van jou wekker afgelewer. Vaak-vaak word die geskenk meestal op "snooze" eenkant toe gedruk, ruggedraai glip die waardering vir nog 'n dag van sekonde-geskenke, uit ons hande.

Tyd is die kosbaarste geskenk wat enigeiemand kan ontvang. Neem tyd van iemand weg en jy spreek 'n doodsvonnis oor die persoon uit. Om te gee is soveel beter as om te ontvang. Dit is eers wanneer die konsep van 'n geskenk van 'n selfstandige naamwoord na 'n werkwoord verander, dat ons gereed is om die seën van God te ontvang.

Jy kan nie 'n geskenk verdien nie. Die oomblik wat jy dit kies of verdien wil jy dit besit, vir jouself hou. Maar die wat hulle lewe wil behou of besit sal dit verloor, want jou lewe, jou tyd is 'n geskenk. Dit is verniet uit God se hand, uniek toegedraai vir jou. Probeer jy dit verdien, sal jy dit verloor, probeer jy dit vir jouself hou, sal dit van jou weggeneem word.

God gee aan jou sodat jy kan weggee. Paulus skryf: "ons maak baie ander ryk, as mense wat niks het nie, en tog besit ons alles."

Jy is die rykste erfgenaam op aarde. Jou koninkryk kan nie in aardse terme beskryf word nie, dit is bo enigeiets wat iemand kan dink of beleef. Tog leef ons soos bedelaars, te bang om die rykdom van God se liefde met ander te deel.

Ons mag onsself maar aansteek om lig te gee in 'n donker wêreld, ons sal nie uitbrand nie.
Ons mag maar ons blare van trots in nederigheid kneus om die geur van liefde te versprei, ons sal nie gewond bly nie.
Ons mag maar kniel en die olie van ons verdienste oor ons medemense se voete uitgiet, ons bronne word deur God aangevul.

Want eers wanneer ons besef - ons is 'n geskenk, 'n geskenk aan 'n donker en onseker wêreld, eers dan begin onsself die dag oopskeur, soos 'n kind met 'n verjaardaggeskenk maak.

Kruise

Vanaf ons vorige huis se stoep kyk mens uit oor Nelspruit. In die dag is dit die berge, die bos en huise wat soos muntstukkies in 'n doekpoeding versteek lê tussen al die bome. Maar in die nag verdwyn als om plek te maak vir 'n enkele verligte kruis wat op 'n berg teen die horison verskyn In die dag sou mens nie eers kon raai dat daar 'n kruis op die berg geplant is nie.

In die kar, tussen êrens en nêrens ry ons verby 'n kruis wat in wit klip teen 'n randjie uitgepak is om elke uitgeputte reisiger aan die dinge met ewigheidswaarde te herinner. Later die aand toe ons weer die pad in die donker aandurf sou niemand kon raai dat daar 'n kruis teen die berg uitgepak is nie.

Nou in hierdie week in aanloop tot Paasfees, kan ek nie anders as om al die kruisstasies op my lewenspad in oënskou te neem nie.

Kruise is bakens, rigtingwysers om ons voortdurend attent te maak op die werklke rede vir ons bestaan op aarde. In stilte dra hierdie simbool sy boodskap uit. Die punt waar twee rigtings horisontaal en vertikaal bymekaarkom is die hart se swaartepunt. Die kontrapunt van ons keuses. Ons het kruise nodig. Kruise wat bedags, wanneer alles duidelik voor ons lê dien as stille versekering dat ons pad beveilig word, dat ons kruistog nie om eie gewin is nie maar volgens God se beplanning vir ons lewe.

Maar ons het ook kruise nodig want net in die nag sigbaar is. Bedags wanneeer alles voor die wind gaan is hulle onsigbaar, maar wanneer die skemer van onsekerheid en beproewing sy kombers oor ons visie en perspektief gooi is dit hierdie verligde bakens wat ons weer terug lei op die beproefde pad. Hierdie kruise is net sigbaar vir die oog van die wat hulle oë in geloof kan opslaan na die berge en in hoop en liefde vertrou op God se lig van bystand en leiding. 'n Stad op 'n berg kan nie weggesteek word nie. So word die kruise wat ons plant op die berge van ons onwrikbare oortuigings en morele waardes bakens wat sigbaar word in tye van nood.

Maak vir jou kruise bymekaar in tye van voorspoed. Oordink jou waardes, jou motiverings en plant hierdie oortuigings op plekke waar hulle sigbaar sal wees in die tye wanneer dit nie so goed gaan nie.

Ons moet kruise uitstal, uitdeel, plant en verlig sodat ander God in kruiservarings kan leerken.

Reën

Een agtermiddag begin die weer onverwags dreun. Verbaas hardloop ek die voortuin in - geen wolk in sig nie. Maar by die agterdeur pak die wolke saam, so asof uit die niet. Ek skarrel binne toe, trek vinning al die kragproppe uit die muur (ek het nog altyd 'n heilige vrees gehad vir die gevolge van 'n krag-weerligkombinasie). In die proses vergeet ek skoon van die amper droë wasgoed wat op die draad agterbly. Prioriteite, prioriteite...

Ook nie lank daarna nie, of dit sous behoorlik. Die geur van vars grond stroom die huis binne, vergesel deur 'n afkoelbriesie.
Dit is wat ek 'n welkome lafenis noem, so op 'n drukkende somersdag. Onwillkeurig kom daar 'n ligtheid in jou gemoed, 'n nietige dankbaarheid. Die reën val waar hy wil, soms onverwags, ander kere na wolkbeloftes wat vir dae in die lug gehang het.
Soms val die water vir dae aaneen, ander kere lek-lek hy aan die grond net om weer aan te beweeg.

Hoe dit ookal sy - reën bring lafenis, verligting. Ons kan nie sonder reën oorleef nie. Ons bid daarvoor, smeek dit af - en wanneer dit kom meet ons dit om seker te maak dit was genoeg, vang dit op in enige beskikbare houer van skotteltjies tot massiewe tenks. Want reën bly kosbaar en wie weet wanneer dit weer hierlangs gaan kom.

So is vriendskap ook. Op die dorre aarde van eensaamheid, bring vriendskap hoop. Ons het dit nodig vir oorlewing. Ware vriendskap verkwik, onwillekeurig begin die gees ontkiem en groei. Ons hele wese word deur opregte vriendskap deurweek, om ons versterk en verfris te laat. Ons almal is instaat om 'n ware vriend te wees. Ons moet nood raaksien en daar waar die droogte lewensvreugde steel behoort ons, al is dit onverwags lewe te laat reën.

Laat dit juis reën daar waar ander reënvriendskappe lanklaas 'n draai gemaak het. Moenie suinig wees om dit uit te deel nie. Jy mag maar, die reën is verniet.

Black

Every artist who mixes his own paint knows the power of black. Only a few drops of black paint has the power to transform a bright red rose into leaves of oxen blood, bring gloom into a sunny day or put an ominous look into a shiny eye.

Black absorbs all other colours into its realm, never satisfied with that which it digests. Always craving for more, unwilling to give, but always taking.

I look at my life - the balancing of colours with every stroke of breath I take each day. And I realise it is so tempting to give yourself over into the blinding light of black. Each negative thought in our lives, each and every time we block positive attitudes we add a drop of black to our pallette. With each and every drop the colours fade - until in the end we are left with a distorted darkened picture of who we are.

All around us we come in contact with people for whom everything has turned into a monochromic picture. They are easy to spot - covered in pessimism they are left hopeless, don't look forward to anything, they fail to remember the pleasures and grace that belongs to the past.

Every day we have to make a cognitive choice to cast away black and choose colour. Of course we all need black in our life's painting, but we must make a wise and responsible choice to use it to our mental advantage - not our detriment. The best way to discard black is through thankfulness for the things you have now and that which you had in the past. You don't need anything to be thankful, for those with a thankful spirit always have enough.

Secondly you need something to look forward to. It needn't cost money. The only recommendation is that it must be special to you. Place things that interest you - a hobby, time with friends, time alone, on top of your to do list. It will keep you going, refreshing your spirit.

Thirdly make time to work through your attitudes and thoughts. Digesting negative thoughts, retaining the gems of precious memories. Everyone needs time alone to find and equilibrium of colours to put on your brush.

Life is only lived by those who realise the power of their thoughts. Your thougts have the power to ruin you, but on the other hand also the power to ensure victory over any circumstance.

Therfor think before every stroke, mix the colours of your thoughts with care, always honest to yourself on what you see - for only through honesty will you be able to alter the picture.

Seek happiness - it will not seek you. You have a choice - embrace the truth and make careful choices. Use every colour, don't be shy to paint yourself the way you are.

Making a difference

I've always wanted to make a difference. Improve things, be like a fresh breeze in a damp and stuffy room. But I realized: the more I try to focuss on doing things differently, the further I am from getting there.

So, how does one start in making a difference:

• First you need pure intentions. You can't bring positive change in the lives of others if your aim is selfgain and glory. The integrity road is steep and because so few make use of it, the maps are sometimes unavailable. But only by travelling on this road will you have an impact on others.
• Only by knowing what needs to be changed can we start making a difference. A change might be as good as a holiday to some, but in general people are resistant to change. It's easier, less strain on our minds to keep things the way they were before. So, once you know waht you want to change, start gradually, while considering the feelings of others.
• To make a difference we need to be time conscious. The best time to make a difference is now. One finds that some people will make a difference in the lives of others wherever they go. It is simply a lifelong attitude, a way of acting, thinking, living.
• To make a big difference you have to start small. The starting point is far from the finish line, so be patient. Once you know what you want to change, do your planning first, discuss with others and God, set definite goals and don't be discouraged if you donn't see immediate results. Those who made a life changing difference started off with only a positive attitude, a smile and small pieces of input. Fortunately a positive attitude rubs off, it snowballs until the endresult is above all expectation.
• Always remember that you can't make a difference unless you are prepared to change yourself in the process. We can't change things around us with rigid attitudes. We have to stay truthful and flexible.

Those who made a difference before us did it with a positive attitude, through creative thinking, while having faith in what they were doing.

It takes a lot more effort to make a difference in lives of others than to just be around and to do what is expected of you. But if all the people around us only does their duties we will live bluntly, without a vision. Our lives will be selfish and empty.

It is through the energy generated from the impact we have on others that we generate inspiration and creativity for tomorrow.

Make that change - doesn't matter how small. Your efforts will be rewarded.