PURPOSE

To me purpose entails the use of my talents and natural abilities for my good and for the good of those around me. I simply define purpose as: A REASON TO LIVE; A REASON TO BE; A REASON TO SUCCEED!

I find it hard to mention the word PURPOSE without thinking about what, to me, is its main ingredient: PASSION. Passion is generally understood to imply very strong feelings or excitement for something, according to most dictionary definitions.

For us to find our purpose, we need to be fearless and determined in the pursuit of our personal goals. Draw inspiration from like-minded individuals who have worked hard to perfect their craft. Never hesitate to share your vision and to express your hunger for success. It’s also important not to focus much on the fear of failure. Always remember that failure is part of everyone’s journey towards success!

It is very sad seeing so many people living aimlessly with no goals, no plans and absolutely no intention to strive to be the best they can ever be in this game called life. Finding one’s purpose involves making strides to be a winner NO MATTER WHAT THE COST! I believe that we were all created for greatness. It doesn’t matter what your individual background is, the colour of your skin, your educational background, your measure of wealth or lack of it, if you dig deep inside and make time to introspect, you will certainly find meaning and the purpose for which you were created.

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, as published in various Psychology books, human beings have to fulfil a series of needs before being able to achieve a level of self-actualisation which enables us all to think big, dream big and DO BIG!

In the words of a dear friend of mine, my mentor, my sister Jeannie Faulkner Barber who is also the author of the best-selling Taste of Fire, the purpose of life walks hand in hand with God’s plan for each of us. Contentment can only be found in commitment. Strength, knowledge, serenity, and fulfilment can be attained by turning everything over to the Almighty. If we put aside all thoughts of envy, racism, covetousness, greed and indecision, He graciously opens our eyes to much greater things never conceivable through our own humble abilities.

I look up to a lot of individuals who, regardless of their struggles, refuse to give up on their quest for self-discovery and the realisation of their unique talents. Our talents and spiritual gifts are instrumental in shaping our destiny and in discovering the purpose for which we were individually created.

I encourage all of us to make time to introspect and think about whether we are just surviving, or whether we are really making strides to progress steadily regardless of obstacles. Work hard, seek counsel, believe in yourself and never settle for less. Always remember, you are not ordinary – you are extraordinary! You are fearfully and wonderfully made, created for great exploits. Now, go in peace and conquer your world!

© Yvonne Mahlape Maserumule, 2014
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LESSONS LEARNED IN THE FIRE

When I was a young girl, barely six, a burning candle at night was my friend. Back then we had no access to electricity and though very young, I loved reading by candlelight. I could hardly make out the words in the magazines I collected, but the pictures helped to make sense of the text. My two older sisters with whom I shared a tiny bedroom had warned me numerous times of the dangers of reading unsupervised, but I was too stubborn to care.

One Tuesday night I had my very first bad encounter with fire. A burning candle fell on me and I was fascinated as I watched the flames lick my shirt. Little did I know what pain I was about to endure as the flames dug deeper into my flesh. I screamed, waking my sisters, and watched in horror as they ignorantly fanned the flames, making them worse. Then a bucket of cold water splashed all over me, bringing temporary cold relief.

To date, I still wear the scars on my arm – a reminder of those sweet, innocent years when I learned the hard way that though my friend, fire could also be an enemy.

I have since learned a few more lessons as I grew up. Papa usually took me with him when he went to make hot bathing water for the whole family in a big, three-legged pot outside. He did his best to rid me of my fear of fire by letting me fan the flames. Some of the lessons I learned from our interaction with fire are as follows:

A piece of wood which burns on its own will soon die out. Wood burns more effectively if it’s collectively organised and set to burn with other wood.

It is also true what they say: where there’s smoke, there’s ALWAYS fire. Papa always encouraged me to fan the wood which emitted the most smoke hardest, and ‘Eureka!’ they would eventually release beautiful flames.

Let’s strive to apply the lessons learned in the fire in our daily interactions. When handled correctly fire can be a friend, but if mishandled, it can cause a lot of irreparable damage.

Handle your relationships well, nurse them, treat them with kindness and care, and BRIGHTEN THE CORNER WHERE YOU ARE!

© Yvonne Mahlape Maserumule, 2014
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LIVE IN THE MOMENT - ENJOY YOUR NIGHT!

You've long given up on sleep, anxiously waiting for the break of dawn.  Your night is unusually long, and the silence of your room is harsh and cold.  The familiar comforting laughter of children has long died out and all you can hear is the occasional bark of the neighbour's dog.  You reach for the remote control and switch on the small television set as you lay curled up in the heavy blanket, the cool winter air biting your cheeks.  For a while you browse through different channels, then annoyed you switch the television off;  nothing appealing there.

Frustrated, you get out of bed, put on your slippers, walk to the window and draw the curtain - just enough to look into the neighbour's garden.  As usual, his outside lights are on and to your surprise there he is, walking aimlessly in his long, white robe, stopping now and then as if to take in the cool, winter air.  You smile to yourself as you realise that you're not alone;  your neighbour is having a sleepless night, also wondering how long it will take before morning breaks.  

The next time you feel overwhelmed by the darkness, put on your warm robe, make yourself a warm glass of milk, get out and enjoy the cool breeze.  Always remember that someone else is going through it too.  Somewhere up there, there's a morning star and the less you worry about it, the sooner dawn will break.  Live in the moment, enjoy your night and thank God for the precious gift of life.  Always remember, only He is your Light in the darkest night;  a faithful Friend when friends are gone!

© Yvonne Mahlape Maserumule, 2015
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