An Open Letter To COVID19.

Written By Sivuyile Tshalana.

Corona Oh Corona...
I stand before you sickened by your actions.
I am quite disappointed by what you've done to our people, our communities and our countries.
We just cannot live in peace and harmony ever since you came to our households unannounced.
You on our minds, body, even on our different media platforms.
You're the talk of the town.
Are you proud of your what you've to us?
Aren't you exhausted of the results of your birth?

Corona Oh Corona…
I'm devastated by constantly hearing your effects on people's lives.
The world is at war with you.
Can't you feel the pressure of being on everyone's prayers, minds and mouths?
The bad thing is that no-one has the answers to fight you.
The world has came to a stand still.
We've been introduced to lockdowns and quarantine.
We were never ready for such things.

Corona Oh Corona… 
Our schools closed.
Most people are not working at the moment
Meanwhile others are working from home.
We don't know what will happen tomorrow but we still live in faith that we will defect you.
The deaths and heartache you’ve caused will come back to you.
By fire or by force we will overcome your suffering and pain.
Our healthcare, protection and essential services are working tirelessly.
Please stop it now Corona, we don’t like it.

Problems.

Written By SivuyileTshalana.

It's really important to have a clear mindset on what you want to do each day. You cannot wake up in the morning and complain about what is not going right in your life. How about you put actions to your complaints? Actually start solving your problems, instead of talking about them to people and thinking they will go away. It's utter important to face your problems face-to-face nor man-to-man and show them you above them.

Problems are actually challenges that are meant to grow you as a person. Despite whatever problems you currently facing, ask yourself this: how bad can it be? What can I learn from this problem? How can I use this problem to my advantage to better myself and other people? On the real, many people own their own businesses and innovations because of their problems that they overcame. A problem only leads you to the right direction that you never thought existed. With that being said, we all need to learn to see problems as opportunities to success. We cannot afford to let our problems drag us down, that means they've won the battle and we can't give our problems victories as they will always haunt us. We can't put our problems in front of us, because we going to continuously trip and fall on top of our problems. Let's not let our problems dictate how we live our lives and our future endeavors in life.

Every person should try by all means to look beyond their problems and be stronger than their problems going forward in life. We cannot walk with our head held high with our problems on our minds. We need to have a fresh start to each day and manifest our goals and visions. Everyone wants to make something out of their lives and throughout all of those actions, there will be problems along the way. What matters is how we deal with them.

Short Story: The Bravest Moment Of Her Life.

Written by Sivuyile Tshalana.

The way Zanele was raised at home by her parents was to become an ideal woman that valued her parents teachings and respects everyone. Zanele's happiness came last, because all she wanted was to make her parents proud. Firstly, her parents constantly bought her skirts and long dresses as well as all the typical girls clothes. To be honest she did not really feel comfortable in girls clothing even though she was a girl. She accepted the clothes with open hands and a fake smile on top. Zanele was more into boys clothes, and she used to steal her brother's pants and wear them when her parents were not around as they used to work most of the time. Zanele's brother had a lot of clothes so he hardly noticed if one pant was missing. He was always away most of the times. If he was not at school, he was  playing some sport somewhere or chilling with his girlfriend or friends. Zanele and her brother were not really close as they used to fight over typical things many siblings fight about, like chores but through it all they loved each other unconditionally. One thing they made sure of was to never fight or argue in front of their parents, as they both loved and respected them like any other child would that's living in this world.

As much as she enjoyed seeing her parents happy but deep down she was not, as she was living two lives. At home she was her parents little girl, they always  told her one day she will get married to a good man, have a big and happy family and she will have a wonderful life. She did not really entertain such comments as she would just laugh it off and just say she was not ready for that lifestyle anytime soon as she enjoy her family right now. Zanele's parents did not pressurize their daughter to get married as they enjoyed having her around and they told her to focus on her studies and be a better somebody going forward in life. They did not want her to be dependent on a man for any sort of income to get her going. Zanele's parents had this ideal life for her which she played along with but her problem was her sexuality. She was a lesbian, the way she carried herself around women, she had feelings for them and when with men she would feel like part of them. They spoke the same language which was women's language - as they always spoke about which girls they were into and the men welcomed her as part of them. This goes back to Zanele's childhood as she always enjoyed having male friends more than female friends. She was always herself when she was with her male friends, and started  wanting to dress and behaving like them. Zanele's male friends enjoyed her company and for the fact that she used to set them up on blind dates with the most beautiful women. Zanele's family was the only one's who did not know that she was a lesbian, as many people knew her secret. They were very judgemental towards her and that made her even more doubtful about talking to her parents about her sexuality.

A couple of days later she just told herself that she was going through with it, and she called a meeting and told her family about the big secret that she was hiding from them. She also apologized for not being the ideal girl that they wanted as parents. Zanele's brother stood up from the chair, gave his sister a hug, whispered on her ear that he knew as he was told by other people but he will support her all the times. Zanele's father just walked out and left them sitting in the lounge. Zanele's mother tried to comfort her daughter, told her that she will always love her and all will be alright. As they were both in tears and her mother told her that her father will come around one day but she got her support as well as her brother's caring support. Zanele thanked them for understanding and she also agreed that this situation is very hard to digest. She will always love her family and they will adjust to her new lifestyle. Zanele also added that her sexuality does not change anything, she will always be their daughter and her brother's sibling. She will still do what she has to do for her future to be brighter. Although life had to go on, Zanele's father did not accept her at all and made sure he avoided her most of the times.

What Is Love?

Written by Sivuyile Tshalana.

In this day, and age we all need love and we must love back at the same time. In order to love, we must firstly understand the term love. The word love is overused these days by certain people to meet their needs and wants without even thinking about the other person involved. There are different aspects that make up love.

Love is unconditional, whereby you love a person based on your true feelings and not loving the person based on their materialistic things.

Love is inner beauty. It is a person's personality and looking at the person's heart.

Love is also spending time with your loved ones. Taking time off your busy life and to be with your loved ones.

Love is having no expectations. You give love because it benefits you not financially but emotionally.

Love is beautiful, it makes you feel happy, it makes you smile and gives you a different perspective of life.

Love is unique. It is something that we all have but very few of us do not fear showing it.

Love is not just an emotion, it is a way of life.

Love is equal. People must have the same level of understanding and feelings. In order for love to be not alone but pure.

Love has no boundaries, no privacy, sees no colour, does not discriminate and has no specific age limit. In other words love seeks no perfection.

Love is giving, caring, patience, sacrifices, trustworthy and transparent.

Bible Definition: Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil. Love never fails. (Take from the New Testament Psalms and Proverbs. 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5 and 8. Page 320).

Love is more than just a romantic thing.

Love can be explained in many ways, but only shown in one way by actually loving.

Underestimating Others.

Written by Sivuyile Tshalana.

In life as people at times we like to think that we're better than each other as we're constantly in a race to be successful. In that race we meet a lot of people, get used to certain ways of doing things and we then settle for their personality that they portrayed to us. After that we then develop one of the bad tendencies that any human being can have, which is called underestimating. How this came about is that a human being looks down on another person. We then create unnecessary and inaccurate conclusions about certain individuals that we come a cross.

This can be considered as dangerous, because no-one really knows what the other person is always thinking. Sometimes they can tell if you ask them, but there's guarantee that the person told you everything. We then develop ways of underestimating that person based on what they told you, what you see and hear. In certain cases, many people show or tell you what you to hear so that you can think you ahead in life. Then that's how being underestimated come about in life. We don't want to give everyone a fair chance in life. We cut others of because we feel they are not good enough to be with us in our lives which means they won't be as productive as other trusted ones. To be honest everyone deserves an opportunity to do something without being underestimated so that they will be loved, and it will portray on their work as there would be no pressure. People are then allowed to be themselves which increase their happiness and productivity. They will feel content as they will not overthink things to come up solutions.

No-one has the right to underestimate another person. We all here to make somethings of ourselves and times we might step on each other's feet. When that happens, we don't have to take it personally, but we need to accept it as we keep it moving. In some cases, other people love being underestimated as it gives them less pressure. As an underdog, you can do whatever you want nothing to pressure and excel at it too. Before even underestimating another person, which I would don't do it as it is not worth it. Just do your research on other people before you utter a word about them to yourself and other people. You will get nothing from underestimating others. Hence it is important to do your own thing and focus on yourself more than you do on others. Chase your hustle, upgrade it and rip out the rewards of your hard work as well as live the life you know you deserve. It's now or never for your dreams and visions. Living on other people's shadows won’t help you.

Thank God Every day.

Written by Sivuyile Tshalana.

It is not by choice or our liking that we are waking up every morning and gear on to face the day. Everyone need to give credit where its due, especially to someone who deserves it for looking after us every night's and days, that person is God. We're absolutely nothing without God, as he's the creator of mankind. The aim is to praise him every day for simply giving us a golden opportunity to live and make something out of ourselves that he'd be proud of and make the difference in our communities. Remember that a giving hand is blessed than a receiving hand.

Life is more meaningful when people learn the art of giving without expecting anything in return. God uses people to help others to come out of tough situations in their lives. Hence it is important to see God in all people and don't hate others. Everything is taught, no-one is born knowing everything on earth or about life, hence it is crucial that we seek guidance from God in order we can be able to understand our reasons for being on earth. We live and learn from others as well who've already been through the ups and downs of life and have seen it all. Those people are our elders, also known as our parents or guardians and are also called our Gods on earth. If can we can love them unconditionally, respect and cherish them, surely, we can do the same to the Almighty our God and surveyor. We need to pray more and worry less, just to thank him for such an amazing present called life. We need to be more thankful, count our blessings and have less complaints. Just sit down and start appreciating what we have in this lifetime. We're so used to touch base with our God when things don't go our way or when we ask for things that we need in our lives.

When doesn't give us those things that we need at that time, most of us start doubting him and his abilities to help us, forgetting that he has already helped us by giving us lives and our brains to use come with solutions. Most people forget that if they start thanking God for all they have now and what they're about receive in the future makes God gives them more blessings. Be thankful for waking up every morning, being strong and healthy and being able to do things by yourselves. Be thankful for your loved ones, job, education, shelter and food. Just be thankful each every day, because there are many patients in hospitals right fighting for their lives as well as begging God for another opportunity nor shot at life. They want to revive their lives in a way that God would approve and start following God's commandments in order to lives accordingly and with so much ease. There's about approximately four-hundred trillion in one probability that a person has a chance to actually live. This means life is very rare and it’s something that shouldn't be taken for granted as it is not promised that we might live tomorrow.

We need to thank God more often for everything, people die every day and we still alive, which means there's still a chance to better ourselves and praise God daily. It's our chance to show God how much we appreciate his blessings and love through prayer and being thankful for everything. God is love. God is our father. God is our leader. God is the greatest man of all time. He always deserves to be thanked and praised.

Her.

Written by Sivuyile Tshalana.

When you need a shoulder to cry on, I am here for you.     

When you need a friend, look no further because I am your friend. Both in good and bad times, you can always count on me.

When you sick in love I will be your love doctor.

We are in this thing called life together, I will not live your side.

I will not judge you in anyway.

You're the best version of yourself.

You're the most kind, generous, confident, loving, respectful and beautiful human being I know.

I see the Goddess in you.

I see a woman who knows what she wants in this life.

You're such a goal driven and hungrier for success woman.

Hence you have a brighter future ahead of you.

I know you say you not perfect but you're perfect in my eyes together with your flaws.

I accept your past, since I know it doesn't define you and I know you not the same person you were in the past.

You living your present like its your last and you appreciate everyday you spend on earth.

Your beauty brings a smile into a blind person.

When you smile you make a bad day into a good day.

You got that powerful presence about you.

Spending time with you is the thing I look forward to everyday.

So that I can gaze into those sexy, cute and hazel eyes as I tell you how much you mean to me.

When I touch your hands I feel like I'm touching gold.

I am done digging for gold as I've found my own gold in this world full of bronzes and silvers.

You're a rare breed and I cherish you everyday.

You put L in LOVE.

You put H in HAPPINESS.

You put L in LOYALTY.

You put C in CONTENT.

Your inner beauty matches your outer beauty which is truly amazing.

You definitely a keeper and I couldn't see myself losing you in my life.

You make life worth living.

You don't settle for less.

I hope accept my unconditional love the way it is and with no questions asked.

You deserve a real man in your life and I am your real man.

I am prepared to learn from you.

I will listen more and talk less.

I will show you love rather than talking about it.

I am prepared to walk the walk in terms of love and life with you gorgeous woman.

I always find myself laughing and happy when I think about you.

As you make me look forward into my tomorrows.

I am here for you through thick and thin. In bad and good times I will not leave your side.

You're the queen of my heart and our kingdom.

I see a superb girlfriend in you, who will be turned into a wife as time goes by and thereafter a great family woman.

I got bigger plans for us.

All I want to say is I LOVE YOU and I hope you feel the same way.

The Struggle.

Written by Sivuyile Tshalana.

In this life not everyone is born in a wealthy family whereby a person has no struggle and everything is solved by their money. Not everyone has inheritance or an empire from their family members to keep them going for the rest of their lives. Other families can afford things while others cannot and it is quite unfortunate. For instance there are a lot of people that struggle in the shacks and do not even know where their next is coming from and others do not even own a shack to live in.

Even though government gives some people houses, some of them still struggle to make ends meet in their lives. Within that tough life struggle there is a lot of hatred and jealousy that builds within a person’s heart in a way that they look down upon each other. Some people in the community do not even want to help others uplift their standards of living. All they care about is making other people’s lives hell everyday of their lives rather than trying to grow together. If people do not want to play a role in their communities then the country as a whole suffers, because of the lack of growth amongst people. It is so sad to find a wealthy family or a family that can afford things living next to a family that struggles but there is no communication between the two families. This is even evident at many schools whereby some learners eat their lunch while sitting with other learners that do not have lunch and they do not even care if the other learners are hungry or not.

Some children also practice what their parents teach them or what their parents do, like when there is a visitor before supper is served, some families would rather wait for the visitor to leave before serving supper. A visitor suppose to get something to eat or drink while visiting unless the family has nothing to offer. It is crucial to know another human being, because one way or the other we all need each other in this life so that we can all strive to be happy. Success has so much value when it is shared amongst other people. The struggle is real, because many people see others suffering for the rest of their lives as it brings joy to their heartless lives. Some people would rather talk and laugh about your struggle, and also try to make you accept the struggle and turn a blind eye on your future. Some successful people, especially those coming from previous disadvantaged background, do not want to help the next generation because they feel since no-one helped them, why should they help others and which is a selfish behaviour.

Your background does not define you and it should not be the reason you stop following your dreams. You going to get a lot of negativity on your way to success, just let it go and focus on things that truly matter like your future. Some people will catch up with you or invest in you once you have invested in yourself first and the rewards will start showing going forward in life. You just have to remain positive, focused, consistent and hustle daily.

Smile.

Written By Sivuyile Tshalana.

Smile, Smile and Smile some more.

Put that frown away. Move those hands away from your cheeks. Take a deep breath and count your blessings. You owe it to yourself to be happy. You owe it to yourself to smile. Things might not go your way. At times you feel like you don't deserve to be alive and you want nothing to do with life anymore. Yes, your life isn't perfect currently and you asking yourself a lot of unanswered questions.

Smile, Smile And Smile some more.

You cannot go through a day without smiling and putting a smile on someone else's face. Life is too short to be angry at all times. Life is so much better when you smile. We all have those sour days, but we cannot go to bed angry. We need to let go of what has happened, one way or the other. This can be achieved by digging down deep on your emotions and finding that inner smile.

Smile, Smile and Smile some more.

We cannot control certain things that happen in our lives at times but most definitely we can control our smiles. Go ahead, show those amazingly gorgeous teeth that are complimented by that perfectly shaped mouth and face. A smile can confuse your haters and keep them on their feet. A smile can make your day. A smile can make this world a whole lot better to live in. It all begins with a smile and also ends with a smile.

Smile, Smile and Smile some more.

A smile can start a conversation and can show that you really are grateful for every little thing life has to offer to you. If you don't know how to smile, then teach yourself as you're missing out on the finer things in life. Don't fake your smile, it has to be true and real to you. Smile at your problems and tell them they're not going to win. You will overcome every problem you face with a smile thereafter.

Cassper Nyovest: The Modern Day Super Hero.

Written by Sivuyile Tshalana.

When talking about South African or African music industry, most people will mention Cassper's name frequently on their conversations. He's the talk of the town, because of his work in the music industry. Even if you talk to certain individuals that are on the come up in the music industry or just any ordinary human being, they take Cassper as a role model and a future legend. He has shown his worth throughout his albums which has been huge successes. He has great writing skills which makes his music full messages for everyone and very unique to people's ears. He most writes about issues that people are facing right now in the world as well as quoting on his life's journey.

Cassper always speaks from the heart as he's very vocal about issues that we face on earth as he can relate, especially what Black children still have to do in order to make successes out of themselves. Since most of them come from disadvantaged backgrounds, they have to work harder to break the poverty chain at their homes. Hence when they look at Cassper's story it gives them hope that it is possible to make it, despite their backgrounds, race, gender, religion, nationality and tradition. Success is always up for grabs but it doesn't come easy as people need to do sacrifices throughout their lives. Cassper sacrificed his family time and education to go to Johannesburg and chase his music dreams. As an artist he went through thick and thin, he had to push through the pain in order to enjoy the gravy that he's currently sipping on now.

What is truly amazing is that he didn't give up on his dreams even though he had it tough in the music industry. We look at Cassper as our Mr Nelson Mandela of the music industry as he has similar personal traits as him. Like always thinking nor finding ways to uplift the standards of living of our communities, and promoting unconditional love, respect and tolerance amongst each other in the world. Cassper has written his name in the history books of South Africa for putting his unique music in the world's stage and paving a way for many musicians to follow on his footsteps and conquer the world. He has received many accolades for his tremendous work, but he has always seen himself as a winner and definitely he's on the winning team that uses the winning formulas only to stay at the top.

Cassper has been on top of his game but he feels that he still needs to do more. As winners always finding ways to stay ahead of everyone and run their own races. Success hasn't got in the head of Cassper as he's still humble and stayed true to his day ones to build their umpires. We need to give credit where its due and Cassper Nyovest deserves all the praises for all his hustle and he's an inspiration to many of us as fellow South Africans. LONG LIVE CASSPER NYOVEST LONG LIVE.

Please go and buy Cassper's latest album Sweet and Short.