Rediscovering Me

Introduction

My own story adds context to much of what I write, perhaps helping others understand that change can happen in ways I write about, that all I speak about is learnt in my own searching for identity and purpose. I did not include those parts of my story where this meshed with other people’s lives, as I did not want them to be affected by the telling.

I am a mother married to a good-hearted, patient, creative husband and we have two wonderful children (moms usually think their children are wonderful!). I am a Christian and proud of my faith. I love God, and I love going to church and being part of communal praise and worship, and hearing opinion expressed in sermon. I marvel at nature and wildlife, and enjoy travelling to see new places. Photography is a hobby I have enjoyed for the past twenty years, though ironically, with the advent of digital photography, I am spending less time taking images than I used to.

I consider myself an average person, who makes a lot of mistakes in this journey called life, but I try to pick myself up again, and I have hope in the future. I believe that the main purpose of life is ongoing personal growth, and I believe we can all make a difference to this world in some way. I feel one of the best ways to do this is by celebrating differences in all the various aspects of who we are, and by accepting others for who they are.

I am an African, a white African. I once told someone I am a South African, from Africa. She asked me, “Where are you really from: England? America? Where?”. I said, “No, I am from Africa. My parents were born there. Most of my grandparents were born there. Some of my ancestors did arrive by boat from England, Scotland, Europe, or perhaps elsewhere.” She stared at me a bit strangely, and gave a small smile as she walked away, saying with raised eyebrows, “Oh, so you really are from Africa”, as if she did not believe me. What am I, other than African, when I claim a varied ancestry comprising English, Scottish, Jewish, Dutch, Afrikaans and other ancestry, and have always been a citizen of Africa? I believe colour can no longer define nationality, not in this global village where people traverse the globe. How can I be a native of the United Kingdom or Europe when my heart beats with an African heartbeat? Know your identity. Be proud of your heritage. Africa will always be my first home, the land that gave me birth. I love Africa. Her people, her wildlife, her savannahs and vistas—Africa is a country with startling possibility.

(The rest of this post has been deleted and can be found in my book.)