She Inspired My Best Poem - Maybe

 I've always had a soft spot for my friend, my female friend, Thobeka Sithole. Even as I begin typing this post I can sense a huge cloud of love taking over my heart. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one who understands this feeling, a feeling that shouldn't be either hidden or explained, a state of being. That's friendship love according to me.

Thobeka is a young, fairly beautiful and much conservative girl who lives by my place in the neighbourhood. She came into the hood to start and complete her high school education. She was a class behind me and we didn't go to the same high school. Being ahead of her, I went to varsity first.

While I was on my 2nd year at UKZN, she asked if I can help her apply at the university and I had to say yes. This was simply because it comes natural for us varsity students to desire to help the new entrants to varsity that comes after us. I knew helping Thobeka was going to be a pleasant journey, as before this I had never been close to her.

We started off well, as I helped her from identifying the relevant courses and institutions she could possibly pursue, filling in of forms, mailing to Central Applications Office, to awaiting the responses. It all went well. Everything seemed according, until she had to visit home in rural areas, where she stayed a little longer than I expected.

I began to be concerned if she was following through with CAO. On the 31st of December, I had a great concern about the follow ups with CAO and the status of her application that I had to call her around 10 O'clock in the morning. It was a brief call, it was to the point. So she promised to come back to the hood ASAP and deal with the "varsity" issue.

It was just after this call that I caught myself saying "Maybe I'm too serious about this friendship". I immediately sensed weirdness and contrary in this statement. How can I be "too serious" about "this" friendship? On top of being weird, I also noticed this statement was poetic, and so immediately I started scribbling a poem and commenced with exactly the phrase "Maybe I'm too serious about this friendship".

One thing one should note is that all that the poem says after that was not specifically talking about the nature of a friendship I had with Thobeka, and the poem doesn't necessarily speak to her. However, it shouldn't be overlooked that the poem was fully triggered by her. I cannot take away the credit from my friend for inspiring such a wonderful piece of art.

This poem is highly loved and cherished by multitudes, and has installed thousands of smiles to a plentiful guys and girls out there. Never even for a single day have I taken time to alert people about the inspiration behind this poem, so it was of great importance to me that I do this.

I am also thankful to Thobeka Sithole for inspiring such a wonderful poem. I earnestly love her for that and she will always be my friend, if not more. I hope God keep her for longer and make her a great inspiration to the world out there.

Thobeka Sithole. A girl from the neighbourhood who inspired one classical poem I ever wrote. I salute you friend. Uthando novuyo.

I AM FATHER

Time flies when you are having fun, so our beloved friends claim. Well, fun or not, sometimes time just flies. Wasn't it yesterday when I kick-started this blog? Before you know, I'm a father.

 

For me it's been a weird experience, a journey indeed. I must confess it hasn’t been much of an easy one, to an extent that I haven't mentioned a word about it, not even a Facebook wall post. To imagine I didn't even say a word about pregnancy. Let alone telling the world that the dude is a father now. Some would claim I was ashamed or any negative energy around that. Truth is it was the question of values, self-worth of my child and a bit of privacy.

 

I mean I didn't even know his values, his personality and how would he feel about being in the eyes of the public from birth. I can't even begin to mention how strict I was regarding who get to have his pictures when my son was born. How I emphasized I was going to “kill” anyone who would have published his pictures of Social Networks, all because I wanted him to have his privacy.

My son is a big boy now. 7 months and 2 Weeks old, he has the world under his feet. He's one active person I've had to meet in my family... hyperactive and with a very sharp brain, a big smile and a broader voice, just like daddy.

A lot is yet to unfold, and I'm confident he'll have it all under control as he grows and matures. Being my son, it's no question a lot is expected of him, but as for now, absolutely no pressure. I am patiently waiting to see him grow and make his own personalised choices in life. He’s got all the guidance he'll ever ask for from daddy, and of course her mom, Nomzamo Mthembu (My girlfriend).

To him, son, daddy knows one day you'll grow up and be able to read this blog post, maybe mom will read it for you once or twice before then. Just know, daddy loves you, and he'll never do anything to hurt you in life. Take charge; grow up to be no one but yourself. The world is yours and it's yours for the taking. Same goes to all your friends out there you are yet to meet. Have courage and possess the spirit of taking over, it's all in those big brains beneath that thin skull.

Much love son… Brains Busa Sokhela.

SIGNIN' OUT

Daddy Dee.