Remembering my Mom, Dad & Donsie during Christmas - 24 December 2022

Remembering my Mom, Dad & Donsie during Christmas - 24 December 2022

I lie on my bed thinking of when times were different and so many friends and family were around 30 years ago. Life seemed less complicated and life was more, affordable in many aspects.

I was a happy healthy vibrant young man. I enjoyed all the small things in life. I had great friends. I made a living in the motor industry. I can honestly say I was quite content with life as it was and the state of things in general as nothing much would distract me from enjoying life. Make no mistake, I was no angel. I would get in many arguments with my parents as I was the youngest but also very much a rebel and would see many things my way although it might not have been because I was naive. But most importantly my parents meant everything to me and I always wanted to follow and go where my dad would go and be someone like him one day. But God had other plans for my life. As I grew up, I always looked up to my eldest brother Werner. My brother Charles and I never got along under the same roof but we both grew up and became adults and get along very well nowadays and I love him very much even if I don't say it often enough when I speak to him on the phone as he works and lives in Dubai in the UAE

(middle east). I love my brother Werner also very much but he has never been able to really express or show that to me in any way and the same goes for me. We three brothers grew up together with my mom and dad being around for most of our lives.

My parents had always been in the limelight for me as that is whom I always looked to for protection and comfort. My dad being the provider in the household and my mom raising us and always cooking food or baking cake etc. Or she packing our lunches for school.

Now I'm 51, my mom's gone, my dad's gone and the only other reason that kept me smiling was looking forward to seeing my little girl Donsie, my little white Pomeranian. Unfortunately due to her age and health complications, she died December 7th, 2021 and that left me very lonely.

For the first time in my life, I can honestly say 'I feel lonely' because I cannot turn the clock back to the happy days, when things were so-called "better".

So I have to look to the future and take life as it comes each day with its ups & downs, it's successes and disappointments.

We as people cannot repair damages for what we regret happened in the past or what we might have been guilty of in the past. But we can pray to God and, ask for forgiveness and repent for our sins and plead to God for forgiveness. Over the years I have lost many good friends since the age of 8 years old when I lost a very dear friend about 10 years older than me. He had a profound impact on my life. His name was Deon Marais. He died while serving in SA Army doing his national service in the military. Him and his friends were on their way back to the military base when the car they were travelling in, was involved in a horrific accident and he died in impact. Below are friends and family I lost to date whom I also want to remember :

Gideon Marais - (Friend) - 1979

Gerald Hopkins (Friend)

Erik van Gemst (Friend) - December 2022

Pauline Warren - 2019

Christine De Flamingh (Mom) - 2019

Adolf De Flamingh (Dad) - 1995

Cathy Ward (Soul Mate) - 2002

Marie Upton (Friend)

Peter Hitchcock (Cousin) - 2021

Tony Hitchcock (Cousin) - 2021

Cora Hitchcock (Aunt) - 2021

Charlotte Hitchcock (Ta' Saartjie)(Aunt) - 2021

Neels Cornelius (Cousin) - 2022

Ulrich Joubert (Brother-in-law) - 2020

Elanor Chambers (Sister) - 2016

Raymond Murray Snr (Friend) - 2017

Sandi Shaw (Friend)

I am thinking of all these people whom have gone to be with the Lord, during this festive season and celebrate Christmas keeping them close to my heart

.

They are not ever forgotten and always in my heart until we meet again some day.

Amen!

Merry Christmas to all.