Random Thoughts.

Now that I am older, I find myself respecting my parents a little more. When I was a child I blamed them for many things they probably never had sight of, and at that time all I wanted were things that I thought would have made my life better.

Ok, at that time I probably didn't know what would have been better for me, but still I had my own ideas and remained headstrong with my choices.

Apparently, I am that one child with the unhinged mouth, although that is all according to my mother, I know she is wrong,  as I still challenge her to this very day.

All I know is that such talk is a rather one sided story from her defense.

Throughout my life, I have always been that person that is all always ready to help the next person. 

With all that, I believe I am lucky to have been blessed in my life, in that for more ten years of my working experience, I have had the chance to have worked within the field of geriatrics, and with that I know I have gained the gift of patience. Working in an environment of mature people rubs off onto you in ways you that you develop an understanding that is somewhat enlightening.

I know I have gained a quiet strength, and learnt slowly, and in that it has shaped me im the way I see people and the world around me.

Curiosity Bites.

I have always been a naturally curious person, and once that curiosity led Akin and I down what felt like endless steps, at a Clifton Beach in Cape Town, where we walked and walked, holding on to the promise of some sort of reward at the bottom of this endless stairway.

Whatever expectation we had of probably having a refreshing drink awaiting for us at the end of a gruelling descent to arrive at this place, was drowned by a very forgettable experience, you are far better off taking a quick swim in the icy Atlantic waters and calling it a day. Yes, a cold shower would have done a better job.

Cape Town itself is a wonderful and beautiful city. I have only come to know it because of a man who also likes to explore and he is far more adventurous than I am.

Something New, Something Unexpected, Something Remarkable. 

My first taste of Cape Town was a cultural experience, seeing so many people like me as the majority. Definitely a cultural shock.

Cape Town is a place that keeps unfolding, and somehow, Akin is that one person that is always at the centre of that unfolding, even when the day arrives that I will suddenly speak Afrikaans fluently, I know he will be there to witness it.

What I am really trying to express is how grateful I am for a man who allows me to be entirely myself, and who makes space for brand new experiences in my life. He has opened many worlds to me, not through grand gestures, but through a kind of gentle companionship that invites discovery.

This morning, on our way to work, we saw someone standing on a street corner sharing words from the Bible. Something sweet and comforting passed between us for a moment, I wanted to turn to Akin and pull him into my arms for a warm hug, simply because I could feel that he had sensed the Holy Spirit in that instant. I knew he had blessed that moment in a silent prayer.

It is in these quiet, unexpected moments that I realise how deeply my spirit settles when I am around him. Somehow, adventure seems to follow him, and I find myself walking into it beside him, time and time again.

The sparkle of December

December always feels a little enchanted. It is a month where lights shine more softly, time seems to slow, and ordinary moments glow with something unexplainable. Even simple words take on a beautiful meaning. 

I'm reminded of how one word mentioned to Akin can become the start of an interesting discussion. He hears it and something sparks to life inside him.

With him, a single word is never just a word; it is a doorway. I can say something as simple as "stars", "coffee", or "art", and suddenly he is unfolding an entire world around it. He makes connections I would never have imagined, weaving history with humour, science with emotion, and logic with warmth. His intelligence is never something he flaunts, it is something he shares. Every conversation feels like an invitation into a space where ideas are allowed to breathe, and in that spark the room shifts.

It is never loud or overwhelming. It is thoughtful, confident and wonderfully assertive, the kind of assertiveness that does not dominate but gently guides. His voice leads in a calm, steady way.

So I find myself feeling not only the magic of December and the warmth of the season, but also the warmth of his mind. His intelligence is bright, steady and always awake, inviting rather than intimidating. In a month filled with lights, it is his thoughts that glow the brightest.

Here is to the man who can take a single word and turn it into a universe.