Letter 12/24: 12 Things I like(d) about you

 Hello 2024, 

How are you? 

“Big days” fatigue has set in but, we keep going. We usually have the Stan list tradition on the blog. This year we’re switching things up. Okay the truth is we’re taking advantage of the even number of letters and we’re being corny 🙈🤣. There’s a list of 24 things - 12 I like(d) and 12 I didn’t like with a twist. 

12 things I liked about you 2024

1. All Mondays when I didn’t have to adult 😂
2. What an AFCON! - my faith is Bafana Bafana has been restored. 
3. Being given the front row seat to answered prayers - thank you for sharing your joy 🙌🏽
4. Team SA at the Olympics 
5. I’ve mentioned the weight gain before but, who’s counting? 😂
6. You know that thing that happened a lot in SA and we haven’t really seen it since before the elections? It that shall not be named. Yes, that one. May it remain there. 
7. Pretty Yende’s recent performance at the Notre Dame re-opening 🙌🏽
8. All the little ways I showed up for myself. 
9. So many SA productions blew up on Netflix. Watched a lot out of loyalty but, if I were to pick I’d give my 🍿 to How to Ruin love,  Blood legacy and Disaster Holiday.
10. I started watching Kaizer Chiefs games again.  Not completely there yet but, it’s for life? Isn’t it? 
11. The support Chris Brown’s fans showed him - go where you are loved! 
12. You’re not going to last forever. We’re closer to bidding you farewell, 2024 🤣😉

See? There are some things I actually like(d) about you…

Letter 11/24: Takala

Good evening 2024, 

Today is a good day for joy. Right? Today’s letter is another dedication. Like the previous one, the privacy will be respected. 

I can’t really remember how we happened, we did and it just made sense. It’s been making sense for a while now and I’m so grateful. 

You remind me of who I used to be. Some days this scares me. Like, where did the time go? Some days it’s exciting. Remember when we used to pray for our “future”? We’re living in parts of those prayers. Sort of feels like being in a restaurant and enjoying a multi course meal. We’re still waiting in anticipation for what’s to come. 

I say like, because God doesn’t work like that. He probably threw out half the things we thought we needed and is busy cooking up something else. I’m so grateful for how he orchestrated our meeting. 

Sis, I appreciate how you ground me to peace and joy despite what’s happening. I love how the concept of “crazy ideas” has a different meaning in our vocabulary. I’m proud of how brave you are. I could go on and on but, here are your flowers 💐. 

Time has been kind to us. I look forward to the memories we’re hoping and praying to make. 

Disclaimer: this letter was drafted before our call this morning. Mind blowing stuff…right? 🤣♥️ 

Letter 10/24: iiBig days

 Hello 2024, 

I trust you’re well. Today I’ll be schooling you on some official, yet unofficial, culture we have down here. 

So December is different for everyone but, around here, we don’t think it’s a month for peak productivity. It’s a month for rest. We usually host our family gatherings during this time. It really is the season to be jolly and we don’t miss on hitting that button. We mostly refer to these days as “iibig days”. There are many ways to put it, this is just mine. 

This week, for me, is when the big days arrive. You can’t tell the days apart, holiday season hits and the idea of rest isn’t suddenly foreign. Yes, I said idea because once you hit that adulting mark…you become the adult. You can’t pretend like you’re not there. No tantrum is going to get you out of it. Don’t get me started on how you suddenly view those seven colour meals differently 🤣. Be that as it may, like coke with less sugar, I still enjoy iibig days. 

Days like today give me joy that we’re about to bid you farewell, 2024. I’m not wishing you away. I’m not avoiding the reality of facing you. I’ve been been facing you. You and the extra day you came with. I’m just delighted that I’ll be facing you less, lesser and well…let me stop there 🤣

Letter 9/24: Reconciliationville

 Ta 2024, 

You’re good. Today we’re honouring tradition. We’re paying Reconciliationville a visit. This is a figuritive town that pays homage to the public holiday on the South African calendar. On this day, I reflect on what I’ve had to reconcile with on your timeline. 

Iyhoooo. It’s been a tough one. It’s been a tough one on this front, I’m not going to lie. I wouldn’t even know how to. Okay, maybe u would 🤣 but, I choose not you. 

You know how you know there are traits that you have but you choose to keep them to yourself? Those “poke the bear” buttons that you automatically put on mute? Did you not show me enough flames that set them off, 2024? Multiple ooooh. Jonga (look), paintience is not usually my strongest trait but a put up a good fight. But Heyi, those “poke the bear” moments sprinted faster than both Tebogo and Noah combined 🤞🏽

I wrestled with anger this year. It was a messy one. Those “hold my earrings” type of moments. These wrestles made me establish a few things. The first being that I’m not dagga - not to be smoked. isiZulu captures this so beautifully - angsiyona intsango mina. Angibenywa! The second one is that I may be a Xhosa lite but, when push comes to shove phuma silwe. Simply put - EXPELLIARMUS! I was on that Ephesians 6 tip so much that you’d swear it was my secondary proof of address. 

I also have to admit that anger showed me complexity. It came with a mirror. It showed me how it’s related to grief through a generational connection. It made me aware that my way through it is with acceptance. Basically, adulting sucks…

I’ve been so busy addressing matters that I’ve decided to be realistic. Sugar is so expensive for the sugarcoating route of Reconciliationville. I’m taking the highway - Itiswhatitis Drive…