I arrived in Cape Town aged 17, unwilling and unexcited about the prospect of studying at UCT. I wanted to stay in Johannesburg so that I could stay close to my ‘serious’ boyfriend. At all of age 17.
Note to young seventeen year olds: Even though you may not like your parent’s advice about what you should do when you leave school (knowing of course that the decision is really yours) know that they usually have a good reason to believe as they do. They were also 17 once upon a time.
Fortunately for me, I didn’t know how else to defy the path I had been encouraged to follow so I stayed and studied at UCT. And have never lived anywhere else since other than a few months here and there.
Note to 50 year old self: This sounds extremely boring. In your next life remember to be braver and live in different countries and continents before you settle down. Why ? Just because it will make you a more interesting person.
When I finished studying, I started working immediately – never leaving Cape Town – and apart from birthing four babies which has thrown that young 17 year old into a lifetime of ‘how the hell do I look after them AND become a super successful career woman?’ living and working in Cape Town has been a treat. It is a beautiful city with SO much to offer.
Note to new parents (especially with more than 2 children): Don’t kid yourself into believing that you can ‘have it all’. You will have to learn to make innumerable compromises either in relation to your career, or to the type of parent you thought you’d be. Probably both. You’ll learn that ‘each to their own’ but you need to know this.
A sad but common human trait is of course that we don’t often appreciate what we have, until we don’t have. We take everything for granted: our able bodies and strong minds, our sense of adventure and self-imposed limitations, our defined and categorized tick boxes on how to make a successful live; our beautiful open spaces and incredible wild animals.
Note to all: Take stock of what you do have, and then be grateful for it.
So. Over the years in Cape Town, I have been aware of and watched and cheered and clapped and encouraged with a lump in my throat every time (from the pavement or on the couch) the runners in the TWO OCEANS MARATHON. I’ve known many who have run this race many times. Each time I have promised myself ‘I’ll do it one day’ and then it was ‘before I turn 30’ and then ‘ok, before 40’ and I know for sure that I don’t want to do it at 60! So it got onto my ‘Things to Do in my 50th year’ and then I forced myself not to think about it.
AND THEN, suddenly last week, it was only ONE MONTH away. So now it really is my turn.
HERE’S THE LONG AND SHORT and the UNPUNCTUATED EXCITEMENT :
Entries are long closed of course cos people plan for months and all I’ve done are irregular ordinary silly little (walk /runs) around the roads when other people do MAD CRAZY THINGS like ROW TO RIO 6700kms across the bloody Atlantic ocean in order to raise awareness for the PLIGHT OF OUR PLANET and other mad cyclists can do the Cape Epic putting their lives and health in blatant jeopardy for a greater cause (sometimes) or just cos they want to challenge themselves (it feels better somehow when you are doing something for a greater cause that just yourself doesn’t it? ) and so NOW I am extra excited about the opportunity to support a worthwhile cause and challenge myself to run 21kms!
CHECK IT OUT
http://animalrescuecentre.co.za/
And I would LOVE for you to SUPPORT AND PLEDGE ANY AMOUNT YOU FEEL YOU CAN.
BECAUSE THERE IS JUST NO MORE TIME FOR REGRETS.
Niki Malherbe 