The fear of Greatness

It’s been said for generations that we can be whatever we want to be – in terms of greatness (achievement)

‘What we want to be’ being the operative expression (minus ridicule)

Yet we often see those whom we classified as should have been great fall into their pit of despair and not achieving their greatness – and in the confusion of trying to understand or grasp their fall we then create our own fear – the fear of greatness for ourselves

And why then has the failure of another become our reasoning to form our own measure of success or downfall? Why is another’s downfall the pivot or foundation of our own greatness?

Would this then be a self-fulfilling prophesy or a vicious cycle?

The reason I said we create that fear is due to the fact that fear cannot be forced upon you – you control and select (regardless of frame of reference) what you will or will not fear – regardless of the pain or pleasure of the outcome

There’s a difference in learning from others mistakes and crippling your own growth – that said I’m not saying dive into the abyss of the known/unknown in the name of conquering the fear of greatness

What I’m simply saying is how great is your learning ability or better yet – how well do you know yourself

To conquer something you need to first understand it (by learning) and/or accept it and before you can conquer the fear of greatness or the fear of the unknown you must first understand and know YOURSELF (back to the basics) according to your measurement and not those of others

The truth is you are your own worst enemy and your own best competitor – for only you determine how high or low you want to climb to achieve your own greatness – defined and determined by yourself

The ability to speak was overcome when you were still a babe – before you were exposed to the rawness of the world – before you were told of limited and limitless possibilities and latitudes – thus we were not born talking already yet that didn’t stop us from accomplishing communication (at its basic)

You grew from a single cell into many cells into a zygote then a fetus that in turn took its true form of what was then called a baby – something so spectacular and magnificent yet you want me to believe that once it evolved into its true form – that being you – the magnetism of the wonder of how you made it this far in living is only so that you can be something that is mediocre? – Well I don’t believe I was born to be or for mediocrity – no matter my hurdles

So what do YOU want in life? Instead of looking around look deep within or have you conformed to first attaining approval from everyone else thus almost being incapable of making your own decisions/choices about what truly makes you content?

But that said I’m not saying be selfish and prodigal in achieving greatness

We are meant to shine and we are created for greatness but not to the dismay or detriment of others – on the contrary your greatness should be able to assist others to shine – no competition but joyous and harmony in all in reach for true happiness

The opposite of greatness is triviality – so greatness being the positive of the latter the input should therefore be positive for a greater positive output

 conquer yourself before you can conquer the world

And what is conquering the world? - Well that too is left to your own defining

Though the fear of greatness as trivial as it may seem/sound is actually more complex and more in-depth and will just open up a whole can of worms; let me just summarize it as this:

A crippling fear is just that – very crippling but a fear nonetheless

An emotion so small yet so great that it determines your success (extreme or trivial)

Your success is what you make it to be no matter the measure – some limit it some are limitless

I know my greatest fear has always been what I CAN achieve never what I can’t – with that said – back to the basics

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I don't assume to know anything about anything except myself but I will share my thoughts as they come - not limited to nor limited by my frame of reference for even frame of reference can be somewhat altered. For there's only one who knows all - the Alpha and Omega

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GOD or amasiko? Is it wrong to practice your customs in the eyes of GOD?

For many of us, going to church became a norm because our parents brought us up in church. As much as that is true, we have been also practicing cultural customs – animal sacrifices and beer brewing. All of which are part of our African culture.
The same is true for the church, I mean we go there every Sunday and some of us know the bible in and out.

Over the years while growing up I have experienced a lot of debates that have to do with religion and culture. I mostly found that people confuse the two to be the same. Which in my opinion  I think is wrong.

We are first Africans before we choose religion; it is up to the individual’s influential factors that later determines where they want to be identified with.

“What is the difference between culture and religion?

Answer:

Culture is sort of an umbrella term defined by the traditions, language, art, food, and various attributes of a particular group (be it a group of five or an entire country).

Religion can be classified underneath the concept of "culture"; however, religion itself is a practice in which one seeks to commune with, and worship a power considered higher than one's Self.”

Source: /wiki.answers.com

As a human being I believe that there is most certainly a higher power greater than me, and as much believe that as a Xhosa I have the responsibility to keep my identity as a Xhosa and not to let the bible dictate to who I should be.

Don’t get me wrong mfowethu, I am not saying that I should disrespect the bible as a Christian, all I’m saying is that I was born Xhosa first before I was christened. I was raised a Xhosa hence I went through all the passages that I did, and I will practice the Xhosa customs until the day I die.

I feel if I abandon my Xhosa value system and customs, I would have abandoned my identity.

The same is true if I chose to be identified in another religion, I would not allow that religion to take over my identity.

The definition states that religion is underneath the concept “Culture”. What this tells me is that culture is as important as Religion in one’s life.

I mean the bible is filled with stories of people basically practicing their culture, e.g. They call teacher “Rabbi” which is a Hebrew word that the Jews speak. If the Bible was filled with stories of African descendants, would the Jews stop calling their Rabbis and start using terms like Mfundisi?

Would they stop calling God JEHOVA and start calling him THIXO?

 I think not….

For me religion is a way that I choose to worship the most high, the creator and our LORD GOD. It is the means that I was taught to consult from when I was wet behind the ears, and not my identity.

People should not confuse Religion with Culture

We are Africans that have their own rituals and customs to perform, let us not hide behind the bible and lose our identities and become lost children of this continent.

We are Africans and so we have the responsibility to take ownership of our identity so that our children do not lose their own identities.

These are the views of the real man.

Whittlesea – A farm, a town, and yet my home.

History

Located in the old Ciskie in the Eastern cape lies a one street town that I grew up in. This town  had been seen by most of its residents as a redundant town that will yield no good to its people, and yet there are people that still live there, including my family.

The town was founded in 1849 as a defense post for the British during the frontier wars in the 1800s. It was named after a Town in England called Whittlesey, the birth place of the then Governor of the Cape Province (1847), Sir Harry Smith.

“In 1828, Harry Smith and his wife came to South Africa where he eventually served as governor of Queen Adelaide province in the Eastern Cape, becoming popular with both Xhosa and Boer in the area. He was moved to India and fought in the First Anglo-Sikh War of 1845-46. After victory over the Sikhs at the town of Aliwal, Smith was knighted and became Sir Harry Smith, and he was appointed governor of the Cape in 1847.

The town of Whittlesea was mis-named after Sir Harry Smith's birthplace of Whittlesey in England.” (Directory, 2010)

We arrived

We arrived in Whittlesea in the late 80s during a time of the struggle. As a young boy I remember seeing streets filled with young people hanging around street corners. The streets were filled with the afternoon smoke from the Welcome dovers of the day. Songs, whistles, chants and fights or rather hostility was the order of the day.

I remember my dad used to come back from work, in his SADF uniform, and take off his boots and immediately clean them. Although my memory of that time is not so vivid, I do remember the toy toys vividly, as if they still flash in front of my face. Their chants  “hay’, hay’ hay’” in a rhythm was as thunderous and distructive as the impact as they had on their targets, the impimpis. It was astonishing as well as exciting to see and very much scary and traumatising. 

Back then, toy toys were popular, the APLA and the MK were what our big brothers were talking about. They were talking about the Charles Sebes and the Mnyombolos that were hell bent on bringing disruption to the people of Sada and the greater Ciskie. That time as I remember it, was a scary time as a young boy. They were talking of iimpimpi and punishments that they had to carry out to the iimpimpi to show that they were serious about the struggle.

But that was in 1988, what do I know about 1988, I was born only 4 years earlier. What I do remember remains in me and sometimes unverified because the memory is not so vivid anymore.

What I do know is that we moved from KuNdlambe to eDongwe in 1988, my father a soldier of the SADF and my mother a dark room operator at the Hewu Hospital. She had been working there since 1985, and she works there till this day.

This is not about me and my family history but about the town itself.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Whittlesea (formerly known as Bulhoek) is a settlement situated 37km south of Queenstown, Eastern Cape Province. Whittlesea now lays claim to the first registered wine estate in the Eastern Cape.

The infrastructure include a post office, police station, education college, magistrate's court, two filling stations and numerous retail outlets, not the least the Spar and other supermarkets, also hosting the major bank ATM's.

Hewu Hospital (formerly operated by Lifecare, but provincialized since 2010) is to be found only 4 km on the road to Ekupumeleni Township.

It was founded in 1849 and became a defence outpost in the Frontier War of 1850-1853. Named after Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire, birthplace of Sir Harry Smith (1787-1860), Governor of the Cape Colony from 1847 to 1852.[2] (Whittlesea)

Today the town is proud to say that it’s got its own wine farm, the first wine estate in the eastern cape.

The Harrison Hope Wine Estate

The Eastern Cape's First Wine Estate!" (SAWIS)  Making history and making wine?  Filling barrels and filling hearts?  Stirring musts and stirring minds? Chasing fermentations and chasing dreams?  Toasting barrels and toasting high and holy hopes?  Harrison Hope Wine Estate is the visible and invisible fruit of the pioneering spirits and passionate pursuits of Ronnie and Janet Vehorn. 

After 350 years of wine-making history in South Africa the Vehorns pressed their first Eastern Cape estate wines in February 2009.  From humble plantings in 2006 without development capital or a local history to support their risks, Ronnie and Janet managed to produce their first chardonnay, pinotage, and merlot wines.  The 2009 Estate Merlot established another historical milestone by becoming the first ever estate wine in the Eastern Cape. (Vehorn., 2010)

Whittlesea is not redundant anymore, the town blossoms with development. This is what I have always said, in order for the town to be in prosperity its people need to stand up for it. They need to work the ground and make something of it. For some reason the only time that the town was self sufficent and sustainable was when people were oppressed, now that they are free everything is standing still. We have an iirigation scheme that used to supply the entire district of Hewu and now we depend on other regions and thus things are more expensive.

I, personally am grateful to Ronnie Verhon, of Harrison Hope because he and his family have managed to bring hope for me for this town.

Places you can visit when you go to Whittlesea:

1.    The Waterdown Dam

2.    Bonkolo Dam (Queenstown)

3.    The Masonic Hotel

4.    Simunye Tshisa Nyama

5.    Man’s Place (Queenstown)

6.    Harrison Hope Wine Estate

7.    Or you can just go and explore and meet people of Dongwe, Sada and Tambo Village, they’re not going to give you an experience out of this world, but they will treat you like a human being.

Here’s to Whittlesea, my farm, my town, my home.

Die Kind by Ingrid Jonker

Die kind is nie dood nie
die kind lig sy vuiste teen sy moeder
wat Afrika skreeu    skreeu die geur
van vryheid en heide
in die lokasies van die omsingelde hart

Die kind lig sy vuiste teen sy vader
in die optog van die generasies
wat Afrika skreeu    skreeu die geur
van geregtigheid en bloed
in die strate van sy gewapende trots

Die kind is nie dood nie
nòg by Langa nòg by Nyanga
nòg by Orlando nòg by Sharpville
nòg by die polisiestasie in Philippi
waar hy lê met 'n koeël deur sy kop

Die kind is die skaduwee van die soldate
op wag met gewere sarasene en knuppels
die kind is teenwoordig by alle vergaderings en wetgewings
die kind loer deur die vensters van huise en in die harte
van moeders
die kind wat net wou speel in die son by Nyanga is orals
die kind wat 'n man geword het trek deur die ganse Afrika
die kind wat 'n reus geword het reis deur die hele wêreld

Sonder 'n pas

Maart 1960