Welcome to my week, well at least a reflection on it
Bad
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” – Nelson Mandela
It’s hard to explain how much Nelson Mandela meant to me as a South African. A bastion of strength, freedom, courage and honour. A man who was like God in stature yet felt like part of your own family in his humility and grace. I remember the time my sister met him and shook his hand, she almost refused to wash her hand ever again. I was glad to be with her this morning when I heard of his passing. I imagine that many people feel the connection I do today. Hamba Kahle Madiba, rest forever in peace. And I hope with every fibre of my being that South Africa can keep it together.
Good
Last weekend we went to Melbourne and I caught up with one of my best friends. I feel so lucky to have a friendship like the one I have with her – we can take up from where we left off with not even a breath of hesitation. She and her husband are also my idol parents as they have the most spectacular daughters in the universe and an amazing relationship with them. Truly a blessing to spend time with all four of them.
Bad
Scott Morrison. Seriously what do we do with a man who wields so much power but his heart is made of stone black coal? This week he “shut shop” for asylum seeker waiting in the community for permanent residency ordering his department not to consider any more refugee applications until temporary protection visas are restored. I finally understand people that really really really dislike their goevrnment
Good
I am not into Christmas in fact I don’t even celebrate it (being Jewish and all that) but this “Jolly Christmas Medley” from Danielle Brooks and Uzo Aduba, who play Taystee and Crazy Eyes on Orange Is the New Black made me smile
The clip was created to get people to support Artists Striving to End Poverty which is a pretty damn fine cause.
Bad
Even though social media courses through my veins I will never really understand the way people behave when they get behind a keyboard. This week Caroline Berg Eriksen shared an image of herself 4 days after her baby was born.
Caroline Berg Eriksen
The internet seemed to implode in a Mother Grundyesque type plume of smoke. I will never understand how it is that we applaud women who post photos of themselves in their undies just after having a baby as long as they look like they have big tummies. We applaud the stretch marks and the tiger stripes, we praise the fact that the body shows signs that a baby grew inside, but when a woman who does not fit that picture poses in her undies we decimate her like she is the root of all evil. We assume she is a bad mother and she is not looking after her baby. Seriously what’s with that? Can’t we just let people decide how to live their own lives? It has no impact on your health or the health of your child how anybody else looks after having their baby. If you don’t like the picture don’t look at it. Which leads me to this brilliant quote
More good tinged with a little sad
It is my son’s primary school graduation tonight. This makes him quite big and me quite old. But seriously, at the risk of sounding like a demented aunt, I remember his first day at school like it was yesterday. I can see his cute little smile under his huge hat and can feel the anxiety I had at dropping him off at a brand new school where he knew only one little girl. He has come so far – he is everything I could have wished for but never dared to hope for. He is highly intelligent, sociable, friendly, has an excellent sense of humour, he’s athletic and independent and popular and the happiest child on earth. I feel so lucky to have him in my life and I hope that we never ever lose the amazing connection we have as he starts REALLY growing up and away…
Bad
I was witness to some real perspective while I was at Bondi Junction shopping centre. Read about it here.
Even more good
My sister has just bought a new house and I went to see it with her again this morning. It is beautiful and light and bright and happy. Her family are going to be really happy there!
And more good
Got to meet Kelly Exeter today. I met Kelly when I was working at Mamamia and I have long been a fan of her work (she designed this blog!). As well as being a designer she’s an awesome writer and I feel lucky to have met her and even luckier now that it was in real life not just on the internet.
Last good for this week
My son graded to his green prajiet in Muay Thai. In a grading of about 20 adults and 8 kids he shone like a star. It was the most challenging fitness regime I have ever been witness to – in the fifteen minutes that I watched he did 10 minutes non stop of upper cut punches and then three minutes of WALKING plank. I cannot even do one second of walking plank. Three minutes is ridiculous. Proud again.
Over to you! How was your week. Tell me about it
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I have a lot of South African friends, and they were all in my thoughts today… as were you Lana… what a great man Mandela was.
On the good news side of the equation, I also got to meet Kelly Exeter this week – she was so busy that we decided the only way we could meet-up was to go for an early morning walk together: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bav_p3WCAAEJgXJ.jpg:large
Reading her blog really helped me work through a few issues I was struggling with earlier this year, so it was really lovely meeting her too! 🙂 (Hello Kelly!)
Similar weeks then!
Aw well my head is now getting so swollen I am not going to be able to fit through any doors this week 🙂
Congrats to your son on his primary school graduation!
Over to my week… (a little short this week, I don’t have much to show for this week)…
Bad: I was sick mid-week 🙁
Good: I’m feeling a bit better today!
Good: I got the mother of all compliments this afternoon…haven’t been able to wipe the smile off my face for hours.
Good again: As an early birthday present, I’m getting my hair done tomorrow! Going blonde!! 🙂
Blonde! I want to see it!
Thank you for sharing that wonderful video.
I could not stop smiling as I watched that beautiful man dance with such joy.x
Well as you can imagine, this was an awesome week being able to finally sit down and chat face to face with some of the amazing people I have met online. And now I feel so sad that I am all the way on the other side of the country and won’t get to do it again for a while!!
And look, here you are in my blog post too 🙂
http://www.kellyexeter.com.au/snapshots-4952-2013/
Yours is a very mixed week indeed, Lana. I like the way you juxtapose the weighty with the trivial, it’s both light and meaningful, at the same time.
Nelson Mandela’s passing gives us all pause for thought and reflection as men of his stature and influence don’t come along often. The insufferable selfie from the ‘perfect’ post baby body, only serves to highlight how much we need his kind in the world.
The transition from primary to high school is a milestone, I wish him well (as you as ageing and doting mother – have so been there!)
My own good news, the ‘book’ I took a year off school to write has ‘some interest’ from a big publisher. It’s not a contract (and may well never be) but it’s gratifying nonetheless…
Wow – that is absolutely brilliant news on the book! Well done!!! xxxx
What a wonderful week. I, on the other hand, spent it indoors. I think I am the ONLY adult in Sydney to admit I have fallen victim to whooping cough – a curse it seems only second to the black plague at present. I’ve been in quarantine, and today was my first taste of freedom! It seems everyone one else (absolutely everyone) who I’ve encountered with a cough merely has a tickle in their throat, or a chest infection! At least the gift from my week of isolation was a chance to catch up on some reading and rest. Here’s to a terrific week ahead!
Whooping cough is just awful! I had it about 8 years ago and I coughed continuously for 3 months. Here’s to a better week for you now that you are out of quarantine
Didn’t know where you were going to go with the pic of Caroline. But I couldn’t agree more. SOOO sick of the judgement of women. Which is lucky, cause I’m totally perfect. Ahem.
My week… well… I’m glad it’s over. And as the wee wee smell drifts from the rug that the cat peed on AGAIN, I think of tomorrow, clean and fresh with endless possibilities, and I smile.
You would be perfect if you didn’t have cat wee on your rug xx