Good-bye 2013

One thing I will say for the past 12 months - they definitely were not boring.
I've lived more in the last year than I did in the thirty that preceded it...and have experienced many things, felt many emotions, learnt new skills, made new friends.
I've also experienced more heartache. And for those single-minded people reading this, No. It wasn't because of a guy.

I happily lay 2013 to rest (while trying to get some myself).
And hope that 2014 will be a calmer year for me.

Nelson Mandela

This year, I was asked to assist two of my colleagues with their teaching load, and hence ended up teaching Social Science (History and Geography) to a Grade 4 and Grade 5 class.
Having hated both of those subjects at school, my knowledge was pretty limited, but I took it as an opportunity for me to learn (as I would have to research every single chapter I had to teach).

One of the Chapters in Grade 4 History was famous leaders through time, and the two we studied were Ghandi and Nelson Mandela.

Now, I was a baby during the twilight years of Apartheid, and so I was sheltered from the indignities that non-whites had to endure during that vile time. And me being the poor History student that I am, I had to do some homework on Madiba, so that I could dialogue with my students.

As proud as I am for his efforts to affect much needed change in South Africa, I am prouder of two things in particular that I learnt about him during lesson prep: 1. That despite losing his father at an early age and going to live with another family, he still maintained a respectful manner toward all elders... 2. Prison did not stop him from furthering his education - he managed to complete post-graduate studies while he was incarcerated.

What we should take from these two aspects (and from his entire life) is that adversity is never an excuse for you to become a burden or danger to society. You can rise above your circumstance to be an exemplary human being.

Thank you, Tata, for being such an example to us. I hope that all you have striven for will not be laid to rest with you...

Example

It is not difficult to be Muslim.
But when you live in a country where Muslims are a minority of the population, the temptations and influences does make it more challenging for a person to be the best Muslim they can be.
I did not always wear my scarf, I did not always pray as I should have, I did not always dress properly. But I reached a point in my life where I realised that I was neglecting important things and that I needed to change.

A few days ago, a parent came to school and while I was helping her she said to me, "My son wrote about you...an essay for Madrasah entitled, 'Hijab with a modern twist' and you were one of the subjects". Madrasah, by the way, is like Sunday school for Muslim children (except that it happens 5 days a week).
I was blown away. We are taught, as Muslims, that the best way to propagate Islam is through the correct practice and application of it. YOU must be the living example of its teachings. And in a world where there is so much temptation for the youth to go completely astray, I'm happy to be an example to one child at least.