From the moment one is born, we are “groomed” to behave, interact and to uphold yourself a certain manner. We are told what wear, how to talk, how to behave and what kind of mannerisms are expected of us at all times. The beliefs of our great grandparents and their great grandparents are passed down generations, like having your feet swept means you will not get married, and many more like this one. Growing up in an environment where human connections are highly regarded, I have learnt or picked up a few tricks along the way.

 In my ethnic group, dreams play a vital role, dreams have meanings. Some dreams may be insignificant, and some may be life altering. For instance, dreaming of yourself being pregnant, may not mean you are really pregnant but rather, new opportunities are about to open for you. I remember having a conversation with my father as he told me of the different beliefs regarding dreams to be cautious of, like seeing a black dog in your dreams is seen as a bad omen in my family.

On both my mother and father’s sides of the family, we believe in the concept of helping one another, motho ke motho ka batho. In a lot of our cultural practices and any kind of ceremonies, I have grown up to know that once the neighbours hear of any kind of event taking place at any house, they will offer their help. People will stay up until the early hours of the morning helping out the family.

I guess what I am trying to say is, I have learnt to follow and trust my instincts and not doubt my gut. I have learnt that no man is an island, and in order to go far in life, I will have to learn to make nice with people because we do not know what tomorrow may bring. Purely because being a nice person costs nothing, but makes you feel like you are making a difference in the world. One person at a time.