The HourGlass with Mbofho

Grief, like a flood comes every now and then to visit, to remind you that pieces of you are still missing. To remind you of the pieces you will never get back. This is a story about grief. No, this is a story about a broken heart or maybe it is a story about friendship, but I know for sure that it is a story about Mpho Ratshitanga.   September 2021 marked the 6th anniversary since his passing. In all veracity, I haven’t thought of him the entire month, in fact I can't even remember whether I had any thoughts of him this past year or any time before that and somehow that bothers me. Today is the 27th of November 2021 and I cannot stop thinking of you. Before I get carried away with grief, maybe I should start this story from the beginning.   Mpho Ratshitanga. I vaguely remember how I met you. I would be lying if I say when exactly we met but I know it was in high school. It could've been in grade 8 however, I would need Mulalo to jog my memory. I decided to write this piece b...

I n spirituality, a swan is a symbol of purity, beauty, grace, love and elegance while in native symbols the black swan signifies an insight about yourself which changes your position from one of victim to victor. A Black Swan is a graceful reminder to move from any position where you feel powerless and at the mercy of external forces; it is time to reclaim your personal power. Well, I am not one to follow spirit animal or native symbols but somehow the expressions described resonates with me and with what I wish to write about this evening. Today’s conversation is centered around a recent event surrounding the death through suicide of a 15-year-old girl from Tshirenzheni. Like many others around the country hearing about this story left me feeling triggered. I write this piece from the broken corners of my heart. A place buried so deep that it has never been fully healed. Thus, I say I am triggered. Triggered because this story touches so many elements from a loss of a life to the...