KB MATHIBELA

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KB MATHIBELA

Making the strange familiar, and the familiar strange

17 May 2024, 23:00 Publicly Viewable

I know from my mom and dad. Their shared experiences and individual life stories. I know from church. People's testimonies and stories from the Bible. I also know from my little sisters, my best friends - my biggest cheerleaders. Lastly, I know from experience. I have learned that the trick to successfully navigate through life is by possessing a teachable spirit and putting into practice what you have learned from other people's wins and losses. My parents introduced me to the concept of "love" from the very moment I came into being. As I grew into my teenage years, I was taught to consult the Bible for the "true" meaning of a word that was always so familiar to me, while strange to others. I have become very well-versed with the scripture 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4 to 8 over the years as I have curiously sought to find what it takes to find and keep true love. Can one only find a romantic soulmate or are soulmates people we relate and connect with on a deeper level than is humanly possible? For me, 1 Corinthians 13 became the foundation on which my parents taught my siblings and I the manner in which we ought to approach life and all the obstacles it tends to throw in our pathways. My parents preach and radiate love more than anything else I could ever think of. They constantly remind us that it is the basis on which everything is built. It is the one thing that no one can take away from you, even if they tried. Today, I find that most of my knowledge stems from the Bible, online sermons and, most importantly, the consistent interactions I have with God. I have learned to appreciate every single interaction I have with people because I realised that every interaction contributes to where I know from.