What You Really Are! – Woman Of Worth by Mands

“Everyone sees what you appear to be,
few experience what you really are.”
~ Niccolò Machiavelli

Sunday, 31st December 2017

I must confess, I’m totally exhausted, with a budding migraine… and there’s no electricity… again.

2017 has shaken me up, tossed me around, squeezed me tight, and wrung me out. It has been a year of mishaps and challenges, short hair and broken dreams, menopause with hot flushes, night sweats, nightmares and bizarre allergic reactions. Loss, heartache and pain. Broken budgets, crashed computers, the worst insomnia and lack of creativity. Terrible health, scatty productivity, lack of energy, depression and trials of faith.

And yet… I’m happier than I have ever been. *Grin*

It’s been a year of blessings… too many to count.

It’s been a year of answered prayers… even those I didn’t know I’d said, except silently in my heart.

It’s been a year of miracles… so profoundly personal, I know I am heard, acknowledged, deeply cherished and loved.

Despite my failing health, lack of energy, broken budget due to circumstances not of our making, and broken motherboard of my 20 month old awesome laptop computer that I’m still mourning, which left me without a computer for months, for the first time in 25 years, (as the replacement is R14 000.00, just for the new Motherboard), I wanted to create a Legacy of Love and Kindness to divert and engage me from the sometimes all-consuming depression, pain and menopause, so 2017 would be more than just another year… it would be a substantive year of *Throwing Kindness Like Confetti*. *Grin*

Even without the physical, mental and financial resources to do that… I will always remember 2017 as a year of receiving, giving and gratitude, and the greatest love and kindness, as my family and friends, and friends of friends, contributed to make my dream a reality and *2017 a Legacy of Love and Kindness*.

It started with *White Shirts* for young men to wear to Church in Zimbabwe… and my 51^st Birthday party at SARDA, and *13 Heart to Heart bags with Pillow Bags & Blankets* for 12 special needs children and their very brave, courageous single mom… with pizza and treats, and birthday cake and gifts. Then *10 Heart to Heart Bags* for the Oldies at Burne Road, Amazimtoti and a delicious lunch. Another *Heart to Heart Bag* and bag of groceries, and brand new Wheelchair to handover for The Sweethearts Foundation for a loving and very dear deserving Fabian, and groceries and a much needed Baby car seat for a young family in need. Jess diligently made Pillow Bags (by the dozen), boxy bags, quilts and a Christmas table runner, all given to others. We treated rubbish collectors and recycling collectors… to cool drinks, chocolates and Christmas gifts, and a local door to door broom seller with lunch and cool drink… and 35 + 1 units of blood given, more than 200 Organ Donor registrations, and even a few ponytails cut and donated to Cancer for wigs.

And there’s more… *Grin*
We still have three big suitcases of quilts and blankets lovingly made, clothes most of which are brand new… a dozen boxes full of baby toiletries, knitted baby clothes, beanies and baby paraphernalia… and 21 Heart to Heart Bags ready to be filled. 🙂 We have 100s of bottleTops, and 1000s of breadTags for The Sweethearts Foundation for Wheelchairs and 1000s to collect. We have lots of plastic for Emcebo Design to create beautiful things… and another wheelchair to deliver.

And even though, lack of electricity messed up my plans for the day, after no water the entire day yesterday… I’m happy to have had a shower and washed my hair this morning. *Smile*

So I won’t really be making any “New Year’s Resolutions” for 2018… I just want to carry on doing what we’ve been doing in 2017, just more of it, for more who are in need… in our very own (almost ours) new (that needs lots of tender loving care and work, sweat, probably a few tears and some blood) home… and solidifying our two existing business projects, with new ones to add to the crazy busy life I’m very much in love with. *Grin*

With grateful thanks, deepest appreciation, and lots of love and hugs, to so many who have made this year 2017 a dream come true.

Dave, the love of my life… thank-you for our new home, I love being here so much, and after a week of not leaving or going out the gate, I never want to leave. 🙂 Thank-you for supporting my adventures, projects and crazy ideas… those that work, and even those that don’t. *Grin* Thank-you also for the “blood” you’ve given. 🙂

Jess, thank-you for learning to sew. (Finally) *Grin* Thank-you for so many *Pillow Bags* Thank-you for boxy bags, pencil bags, stash bags, money bags, and so many more… bags, and the quilts you’ve made, and the appreciation, love and gratitude in others eyes, that you’ve inspired. I’m proud of you.

Thank-you Jo and Leigh, for your love and support, comments and encouragement, after the projects and photos, I really didn’t think anyone was reading what I wrote, so probably wouldn’t have bothered without your loving, encouraging words. I’ve published seven ‘project stories’ and have the notes and have written the other 17, just need to edit the photos and publish, when the electricity is on and the internet is working. *Laugh Out Loud*

So, they are dedicated to both of you, thank-you. 🙂

Thank-you to family and friends, and friends of friends… Happy New Year 2018!

Dave, Jess, Jordy and Wes… and my Mom. 🙂
Maria & Allan, Shannon, Diane & Liza, Jared, Ian & Kate, Karen, Gail, Marje, Debbie, Melissa & Chrichan, Louise, Tracey, Mary and so many SARDA Durban Volunteers and the Grooms, Lameck, Pretty, William and his wife, Henrietta, Katherine, Clarissa, Michelle, Cheryl, Janet, Sherryll, Michelle and friends, Teresa & Heinrich, Leigh & Ashley and The Sweetheart Foundation, Annelize, Samantha and so many of your family and friends.

Last and certainly not least, thank-you Dave for the generator providing electricity and internet for me to share this… and for light. #LightTheWorld

Chow 2017, it’s been a roller-coaster ~ Welcome 2018!
Mands

#Wow
#WomenOfWorth
#HeartToHeart