Epiphany

I always thought that Epiphany was an aunt of mine, turns out that it is actually “A moment of sudden revelation or insight” Well I had one this week and if you have not had one yet, don’t feel left out because I believe that we are all entitled to one Epiphany in your lifetime and if your lucky maybe two. “So what was it I hear you say” that made you feel you had this Epiphany. For those who don’t know me that well I was in the hospitality industry for twenty five years and to be honest it nearly broke up my marriage and my health levels where at Defcon 3, nothing a move to the country and assisting people we thought where friends in a small hotel wouldn’t fix. As the saying goes “all good plans blah, blah, blah” the people we thought where friends where ass-----es, the jobs beneath our skill levels and my wife was offered a position with the Speckled Bean and Caledon fly tying factory and still works there to this day an added bonus of Tania’s new job was the owner was hated by our “friend”. I had to hang around a while longer, being a barman and a waiter, was a large let down from having been a General Manager of Multi-million rand companies, In ways it was not so bad because I worked the way they treated me, which as you can imagine did not lead to a conducive working environment, but we needed the money and a job is a job. I then moved to another business in the village and worked my ass of, without the reward that I thought that I was due. I then was thrown a lifeline from an unexpected source and started to sell properties, however to survive I have also had to look at doing other jobs (part time or semi-permanent) to survive. I wont lie its been hard at times, with many sleepless nights, but with the love of family and friends we seem to have overcome challenges and become better people from the process.

I have over the last couple of years had an itch to get back in to the Hospitality business and the means to scratch this itch presented itself last week when I was approached by a large Hotel chain that moved in to the area over a year ago to apply for the marketing managers position. I thought my wife Tania would have a fit, but she agreed that I could do it for a three-month trial and I duly started some training last Friday. By this Thursday morning I was wondering if this is actually wanted to do, but Pride was telling me “even if its stressful and hard, you have to do it, otherwise you will be letting down your family as well as yourself”. Around midday “POW” it hit me, I asked myself “is this what you want to do? do you want to miss out on all the things over the last two years you have become used to” I answered myself almost immediately and it was not the answer I thought that I would give. “No this is not what I want, I want to spend my evenings with my family, I want to be able to attend my daughters sports days, I want to be able to stop and have a cup of coffee with a mate at one of the restaurants if I want to, I want to be able to assist the local school with sports etc etc” That night I spoke to Tania and she was “as always” supportive and understanding, I spoke to the hotel manager on Friday and told her how I felt and that I could not take up the post. It was like a giant load had been lifted from my shoulders, don’t get me wrong the extra monies would have been great, maybe we could have got DSTV or other things we have done without over the last few years, but it does not matter because I have come to realise that while money is important , it does not buy happiness or family and friend that I am so blessed to have.

I am very lucky to have parents that are the best, they are supportive and I know they love me and my family unconditionally, this applies to my wives parents as well. Mom, Dad, Keith, Lois, thanks for being there for us when we need you most, thank you that you never interfere with our life’s, but we know that you are there should we need you. Mom I know that I am getting older, but it means so much to me to hear you say that you love me and that you are proud of me, I know that I will always be your son, no matter how old we get. You have shown me that you can overcome bad times and that family is important. Dad while I may not be of your blood you are the only dad that I have known and you have been such a influence on my life, from you I have learnt so many things that a son should learn from his dad.

My wife Tania is the most amazing person in the world and I am the luckiest man in the world to have her love me and I am sure there have been times when she wanted to strangle me especially when I put my work above her and our daughter Gabriella, Tania “I am sorry, I Love you, I have since the moment I saw you all those years ago and I will do long after I am gone. Without you I would not have the family and the home that I have today I would not have a beautiful daughter called Gabby, you balance me, you always see the best of life and I love for that and I love you more than anything in the world.

This weekend was a good one again, we had a Braai at Kath and Marks house on Friday and a number of people where invited over, what was great is that Dave and Barbara brought there dog, a Border collie called Holly to play with there dogs one is called Buddy, also a Border collie. Yeah I know what your thinking “Buddy Holly”. Saturday was ok, had a couple of people at the office and a good show round at a fishing cottage that is for sale, Sunday woke up late, had a few hours at the office and another couple looking for a stand, the afternoon Dave Gabby and I took a ride to Fouriesburg on the bikes, so all in all a pretty decent weekend.