Freedom Day.

Today was a very important day in South African history. Freedom Day. It celebrates the first post-Apartheid democratic elections in our history.

Thank you Nelson Mandela and all the others who fought for equality.

"Their Names Liveth For Ever More"

Death.

I wish I had something profound to say. Something inspirational that would help other people face the pain of losing someone close to them. I don't unfortunately. All I can say is that it never goes away. The pain doesn't go away.

The way that I see it is 'what would he want me to do?' Would he want me to just wallow in sorrow? I think not. My father always told me to celebrate life, even after death. Celebrate the life someone lived. Remember them as they were, without the cancer or whatever they might have suffered from.

The way I remember my father is that, even on his death bed, he would still crack a joke and laugh from his big belly. He would laugh so loud that the whole oncology ward would light up. So, even though I am very sad, I feel blessed to have known him.

I am my father's son.

"These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I've witnessed your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There's so many different words
So many different songs
We have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the sun's gone to hill
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it's written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms"

- Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits

Welcome 2011.

Welcome to a new year. 2011 has started out with a bit of a bang. Good and bad bangs. I've been quite busy with a lot of very exciting projects coming up. One of my best friends spent the better side of two months with me in Pretoria. It's funny, I never really realised what a big part of my life he is...

Also, there are some bad things that came with the new year. Got some bad news concerning a very important person in my life. Cancer is slowly eating away at his body and there is nothing that science can do for him. The threat of death always brings strange feelings... Don't really know how to explain it other than exhausting.