Profound Conversations

This picture was taken at Fogeys Restaurant, in Muizenberg, in 2006. My cousin and best friend, Tracy Abrahamse, and I.

Recently, I've had a few conversations that have brought a couple of very interesting issues to the fore. Last week it was my mechanic, Derek, who said a few things to me, some about my anxiety about buying a new car and some about life, in general. I remember leaving his house with not just a fixed car, but an overwhelming sense of peace. It was one of those occasions where I'd once again felt my dad's presence very strongly. He passed away in Dec 2005. He was one of those fathers who didn't quite know how to connect with his daughters, so he'd always confine the topics to things like my car, my job, of course my children, and then politics! Haha!

On Wednesday, it was a conversation with Wayne, my guitar teacher, that got me pondering assumptions people make about each other, how we automatically assume everyone else is at the same level of personal evolution as we are, and just how wrong we can be, sometimes! I always appreciate his insghts into things, because we approach life from quite different perspectives. I went home questioning myself about something, doubting that I was actually as far along the road towards personal empowerment as I thought I was. I like it when people shake me up like that.

On Thursday evening, it was my best friend, Tracy, who pulled me out of a bit of a stupor I was allowing myself to slide into, reminding me of what my stated goals were. The next day something happened that made me SO glad I'd decided to heed her words. She's busy working her way through the book, Women Who Love Too Much, and it was so cool to hear her take on the very chapters that had rocked me to my roots!!! I read the book towards the end of last year, and some of my recent decisions are directly linked to my (painful)journey through that book. I love our time together, which is not that often, unfortunately. She's one of those consistently supportive people, and what I like most about her is her in-your-face honesty. She'll tell me things that no-one else will, and I rely on her to do just that. Everyone needs at least one friend who tells it like it is. I usually prefer shopping for clothing on my own, but I really enjoy shopping with her, because she again pulls me out of my comfort zone, challenging me to try new things, be a bit more out there. As wacky as I can be sometimes, I'm still a bit conservative in some ways.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of a long, leisurely (or not?!) chat with someone I really like, Gopal Ramasammy-Cook. In Sept 2008, I had a few coaching sessions with him, looking at the career-creative tensions typically experienced by people who work in regular day jobs but have a strong creative element in their lives which could turn into full-time pursuits. I got so much out of the time I spent with him, and opened myself to the challenges he set me. As I said yesterday, some of the lessons are easy to understand intellectually, but applying them successfully and assimilating them into the essence of who you are, that's the part that takes time. I absolutely love talking to him, because he's one of those people who don't rest on their laurels. He's always exploring fresh perspectives, adding novel elements to what he does, and coming up with innovative ways to do what he loves, i.e. helping people through their life's journeys. Check out his website, www.zestware.com and read his fascinating e-book, "Covered in Sun". Look out for his new sessions coming up, and write to him if you'd like to go through some one-on-one life coaching, or even if you just want to find out more about what he does. He's someone I'd highly recommend.

Time to wrap up. Listening to the haunting strains of Laura Fygi singing "Good Morning Heartache". What can I say? Torch songs just do it for me.