Following Freedom

Last night was one of the first nights in awhile that I slept outside. The weather was rough. A storm had blown down a house that afternoon. High seas and cold howling wind.

I had decided to sleep outside in solidarity with Nigel Bracken, who had organised a sleep out in Johannesburg in solidarity with the homeless.

I wanted to bail. What does my sleeping outside change? I'm in PE anyway.... and Does it make a difference? I don't think so. I kind of know it doesn't, but I want to stand with the poor and the oppressed. I want to fight a good fight and I want to support people who fight good fights.

That brings me to Nigel Bracken. This guy is after the real deal. He gave up a comfortable house in Johannesburg suburbia to move his family to a flat in the dangerous city centre. You can read his story transforming.org.za

That brings me to the core of this blog. We all follow people. We live in a society full of celebrities. They are only celebrities because other people celebrate them. Most of our celebrities are shallow, pointless and frankly full of themselves.

We celebrate people's talents like pastor's who speak well, singers who sing well (or are great at lip syncing), businessmen who are flamboyant, men who kick a ball really well... For some of us knowing and seeing these people gives us an excuse to never fulfil our potential, rather to sit on the sideline and watch them do their thing.

Why not celebrate people who really make a difference like nurses, teachers, social workers, moms, or volunteers running soup kitchens. People who lead the way in transforming society for the better...

We got it wrong. I got it wrong

Who are you following?

Who are you celebrating?

We all need examples. Older brothers and sisters, guides who inspire us to greater things. When we look up to people, that is ok. Just make sure we look up to the right people. Celebrate the people who do things that really matter.

I want to follow the people that I want to become. (Tweet This)

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We talk and talk and talk...

This is a follow on from my conversation I had with Darren, (Read it here)

Somewhere in our conversation he uttered the words:

"Most of us use too many words and do to little." (Tweet This)

I found this quite a profound statement for a guy whose only real schooling has been the school of the streets. Darren left school when he was 16. He never studied further.

This statement really hit home for me.

Most people enjoy talking a lot. I have been in plenty of meetings, conferences and gatherings where people talk about all kinds of shallow and equally deep topics.

I love talking. It's my love language, my number one thing to do. Being ignored in a conversation, or being made to be silent is my worst nightmare. In Belgium we have a saying: "To Talk like a Bruggeman"....... its non stop conversation.... As I am a Bruggeman that saying has been more than once been applied to me.

For me, talking comes so easily. It is simple to talk about other people and to prescribe quick solutions. I know a fair few people who talk for hours about the changes they need to make in their lives. I have friends who have solved most of the worlds problems in their conversations.

I am one of those...

I need to become an action man.

No, I am not talking about some rugged bare chested wrestler. A whole lot would have to change for me to become that!

I need to become a do-er of the things that need to be done in my life and in the world around me.

I can't solve every problem in the world, but by changing one thing at a time I can make steps towards a better world for everyone.

Doing however, is a hard endeavour. Leaving your comfort zone, really stepping out, taking a chance...

The next time you talk, your story will be more real when you have done it and not just read it, talked about it or saw it on TV.

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Living now

Darren is one of the more 'famous' homeless people in Port Elizabeth. Every day he begs at the same traffic lights. He is hard to miss with his long blond hair.

I took Darren out for a KFC meal. He ordered a chocolate milkshake and a Zinger burger with chips. I had a coffee.

We sat down and chatted about life. I asked Darren some questions.

Like most of my homeless friends life has been tough on him. I guess life is not just tough for my homeless friends.

Maybe life is tough for you right now...

I asked Darren how he finds happiness..

I find happiness in the now. Right now I am happy. I am drinking a chocolate milkshake. That makes me happy.

I am quite a happy man. I try to live in the moment. Most of you always try to live in the future. You get home in the evening and have a nice meal with your family. You should be happy, but instead you start talking about work. Straight away dropping that word - work - in the moment makes you think about tomorrow and the responsibilities that are coming your way.

Stop thinking about tomorrow, even about later today. Live now. If now makes you happy. Be happy. You can only live now. Worrying about tomorrow will not add anything.

I sat there silently thinking. Feeling ever so slightly tearing up. It make me realize I need to enjoy the now more and tomorrow will take care of itself.

What are you grateful for now? 

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I am God

Dion makes his home on a grass street corner, a few km from where we live. Ironically, he lives in one of the nicest neighborhoods in Port Elizabeth. Every night he sleeps under the same tree bordering a golf course.

This afternoon, I went out on the streets to give out apples, hats, socks and toothbrushes given to me by a couple of friends.

I had a chat with Dion. This is his story:

My name is Dion. I have been living on the streets for 10 years. I used to live with my mom. When she passed away 10 years ago, her house was sold. I got a bit of the money from the house sale, but I had nowhere to live. Soon thereafter I ended up on the streets.

The good news is that this is my second life. My first life was on another planet. On that planet I lived with three sisters. One of them really liked me.

I built cars on the planet. Lots of them. I had a factory without any people and I built 1000 cars per day. Today I am just trying to get my machine back. My machine to suck up people.

When I have my machine back I will suck up all the people. I will then only release the people from Port Elizabeth and the people I like.

I have many children. I have over a thousand children. I did not get them through a relationship with a woman. I made them.

At this point I felt compelled to interfere and ask a question:

So you lived on another planet and made children. How did you do that?

His answer:

Well I am God.

The three sisters were first God, but they went to parliament and signed all power to me. I own all banks and factories. I am just waiting for the banks to release my money so I can go and pick up my machine to sort out this mess.

The sad truth is that he really believes his story. He is convinced that he is God.

Weird and so tragic. This man does not belong on the streets. He belongs in an asylum, where he can be cared for and shown love.

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An apple brings Happiness

A while back, when I was hanging out with 5 homeless people in our local park they asked me for food.

I had a green apple in my pocket. I felt bad giving them one apple. What can 5 people do with one apple?

So I gave my apple to one of the guys. They all were so happy. They all said thank you and they seemed to mean it. They then went on to divide the apple in about 5 equal pieces and ate it.

This sharing in the park has made me think in the last couple of days.

I try to pursue happiness. I want to be happy. I want to feel happy.

I am sure there is nothing wrong with that.

But I have been challenged to find happiness in the little things in life.

When I find happiness in something I often don't take time to enjoy it. To be happy in that moment and to take in that happiness. To fill my heart and soul with happiness.

Instead I am already looking for the next thing. Planning. To the point of worrying. Searching for something more......

When we find happiness we MUST STOP...... and take it in.

What makes you happy?

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