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Welcome to the "being
yourself for a living" newsletter, which this edition offers
insight into handling curveballs. It was inspired by a piece of writing
sent to me by someone who was on a recent business writing and presenting skills course I ran, a fervent writer named Shakira Omar.
Her
article is called Curveball?,
and is followed followed by three suggestions from me on handling
curveballs in
life.
B U S I N E S S
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F
R O M Y O U
Curveball?
I was two
weeks away from becoming a mother and very excited. In spite of the
fact that I
looked like a whale, I was glowing. On Saturday, I had a doctor’s
appointment;
Sunday was my “surprise” baby shower.
My sister
blindfolded me when we’d pulled
up into Mom’s driveway. Other than the sheer embarrassment of wearing a
giant
nappy and booties, I was warmed by the gesture and collected gifts
enough to see
me through at least the first three months of baby’s life.
My dear
cousin, Saahera (meaning: sweet fragrance) sat amongst the other
ladies,
smiling gracefully as I unwrapped my gifts; she was there to greet me
after the
formalities were through. She was with child too, although still in the
early
stages. I could not decide why, but there was an overwhelming sadness
about her
that day.
Little did I
know, that would be our last ever encounter…
In the
early
hours of Tuesday morning, we got a phone call to give us the news of
her
passing. I have never experienced shock as I did that night. No tears,
no
sound, in fact: just trembling. Nothing was said about the cause of her
death.
The baby hadn’t survived either. Saahera was no more. That was it. No
bargaining. Non-negotiable. Cold hard fate…
My son came
thirteen days later. When I remember what happened, I go numb. I dream
about
her often. She’s always calm and glowing in my dreams. I wonder: “Why
did we
develop that closeness just months before she had to go?”
The truth
is:
Life throws you unexpected curveballs. For each thing that
we love and lose, we gain something in return. I lost a cousin, a
friend and
gained a son.
I cannot
measure the loss or the gain. It isn’t fair to do so. I
can feel the pain and be real, and love unconditionally a son that was
a gift
to ease that very pain, and be thankful for the curveball I was thrown.
Shakira Omar
Johannesburg, July 2006
S
U G G E S T I O N S F O R H
A N D L I N G C U R V E B A L L S
by Robin
Wheeler, 29 August 2006
Awareness. Presence. Love.
G
O O
D B Y E
F O R N O W
Speak
more soon. Until then... keep being yourself for a living.
Robin
"Experience life in all possible ways -
good-bad,
bitter-sweet, dark-light, summer-winter. Experience all the dualities.
Don't be
afraid of experience, because the more experience you have, the more
mature you
become."
Osho
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