PEACE – The Quest for Personal Discovery
They say our eyes are like a video camera, recording every image. Our ears record every sound. Here is where it gets interesting: our mind is like a server, editing and storing memories.
In the movie The Blind Side, Michael, who played exceptional football, deserted by his mother and not knowing his father was adopted by a family that took care of him. His academic record was low, yet he scored 98% on protective instinct. Michael’s protective instinct came from when he was young, trying to protect his mother from a community surrounded by gangs. His ability to protect those around him is what made him excellent on the defensive line.
If we think of Michael as a young child, he must have asked himself, “Why me? Why should I suffer and lack basic things like shoes, clothes, shelter, and friends?” In my honest attempt to answer that question, I would say: those sticks and stones are not there to destroy you, but to make you strong. Years ago, I received a food parcel from our manager because there was no food at home. It was given to me in private — none of my friends even knew about it.
Fast forward to today. I am now a board member of an organization that feeds the disadvantaged. During Covid-19, I mobilized one of the largest banks in South Africa to donate more than five hundred food parcels across Ekurhuleni East. Seeing their faces filled with smiles brought joy to my life, and I said to myself, “If not me, then who?”
Sicelo Ngubane is a social entrepreneur, an inspirational speaker and a youth activist with interests in leadership and personal development. Has been with Love Life, Sibikwa Arts Centre and the South African Association of Youth Clubs.
Contact: +27 78 054 9694