Do not commercialise happiness/De-commercialise happiness!!

I must say, the things that make us joyful and happy are not necessarily material but rather free and undermined, yet valuable. When I was facing death in my hospital bed December 2020, I was convinced that the 11th of December 2020 was "thee" day. When my uncle called as soon as he heard I had Covid-19, crying, I wondered why would an adult cry because I did not think I was that sick. Sis Nosi would constantly call and say "Mphethana you will not die of pneumonia, I also had it, look at me, I am alive". Ps Diane, Ps Phumi and Mam Tshabalala called in daily to give me clever advice, prayer and hope. I mean Mam Tshabalala would say, "just live for me and Fefe".

I asked God for my life back, crying for my 5 year old daughter and a career I did not pursue in lecturing and teaching. Hearing a student finally understanding and passing Accounting always made me happy. It gave me so much happiness. I remember praying whilst under oxygen, "Lord even if our life is as lowly as that time we took PRASA train with Fefe, it's okay Lord I will be very happy to live". The Holy Ghost whispered, "I will heal you and you need to take this diseases seriously and pray for humanity".

Upon reflection, what I referred to as a lowly moment was actually our happiest moment. We bonded a lot that time. It was in 2019, I would carry her on my back, board a train as I was building our home in the Eastern Cape. Sis Angie was always there for us and never complained. She would drop us by the train station at Witpoortjie early in the morning. We would walk back to Braamfontein in the afternoon. Fefe fascinated by the tall JHB municipality buildings, we would walk a little and stop. At 3 she would be fascinated by flowers in their pink bloom and she would want to touch all of them (chuckles).

We would pop in by Pep, find shoes on special for R25 and she would be so happy to wear them. Her pink rubber sandals (lols). We would board the train and she would want to buy all edible things that was sold in a moving train. Of course many things were dead cheap, so we could afford, according to the Lord's blessings. Because the train had no window panes, I would take our big grey bath towel so that I cover her from the rushing wind of the moving train. She would laugh thinking we are playing hide and seek. So happy and excited at the same time, she taught we were in a fun fair, yet R100 train ticket was our transport for the month, whilst we paid the builder at home.

On my death bed this was the only beautiful memory I had of us and it was "happy and uncommercialized". I thought of Pa's teaching on the de-commercialisation of Passover and Ps Kevin's teaching on de-commercialisation of Christmas!! Wisdom right there!! So yesterday (23.08.22) we took a walk to the clinic together with Fefe (7 km's) and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was free and we spent quality time together whilst we were getting fit. I sometimes think we give money too much credit than it deserves. We have surrendered our time, creativity, playfulness and thoughtfulness to money and undermine the power of heartfelt, simple fellowship and relationships. I pray I never do that again, i.e "take more than what I can give!! I pray I constantly for de-commercialised happiness"!!

I dedicate this blog to Ps Phumi, my mom ((TP Sobantwana) she stood there not scared of contracting Covid from me), Ps Diane, Mam Tshabalala, Sis Angie and Sis Nosi. Thanks for standing with me through bad Covid 19 times. Your support made all the difference.