My Father's Day Tribute...

You could be a step-father, an uncle, nephew or indeed brother. Sometimes we are left to play the role of father due to one circumstance or another. It really doesn't matter. What matters is that you are playing the role to the best of your ability.

It's been a few years since my father left this world but the pain of losing him still lingers. I just want to wish all the wonderful dads out there a wonderful day filled with love, happiness and appreciation. No one can ever replace you. You play a very important role in our lives and no matter how old one gets, their dad will always be special.

The following is an article I wrote a while back published in my local paper, paying tribute to you all wonderful fathers out there. I hope you will be blessed by it. Just click on the link below:

Happy Father's Day Article

Falling madly, deeply in love with myself this Valentine's week....

I hope you don't wait for Valentine's Day to show him/her how much you love and care for them. Everyday should be an opportunity to do so. Here's wishing you lots of love, happiness and prosperity!!

                                                                 

The Power Of Vulnerability

Half the time we walk with wide grins on our faces, pretending everything in our universe is okay or indeed perfect. We laugh out loud at lousy jokes, choose our words carefully, and wear beautiful clothes. And if you're like me you spend hours in front of the mirror, fixing your hair.

Perhaps we really care about each other's feelings and about our looks, but sometimes the thought of 'being seen' terrifies us. Even though our worlds are falling apart, and are far from perfect, we walk with our heads held high, looking people in the eye, convincing them and ourselves we have everything under control. Inside, we are like a volcano, waiting to erupt.

A little prod on the right spot is all it will take for us to explode, destroying everything in our path. It is when this happens that those around us turn in awe, wondering what the hell happened. They are puzzled why a woman or a man of such a stature and decorum could snap and lose it like that. Well, I reckon it’s because human beings don't allow themselves to be vulnerable!

For me to understand vulnerability is to draw from experience and the experience of others. Making yourself vulnerable takes courage. It may be the bravest thing you've ever done. We all want to be accepted for who we are, warts and all, right? And yet half the time we hesitate to reveal our true selves to another human being. The thought of being rejected or being judged terrifies us. So, we hide behind smiles and polite conversation. 

But being vulnerable isn't a bad thing.

It is loving someone with all your heart even though there is no guarantee they will love you in return. It is being flawed, revealing your true authentic self and giving someone the choice to fall in love with who you really are and not who you think they want you to be. It’s taking that leap of faith as you go after your heart's desires.

Being vulnerable is looking someone in the eye, confessing your deepest fears. Standing in front of someone, admitting your wrongs and asking them to forgive you. It is trusting they will appreciate your effort and gesture. It is just being, doing regardless of the outcome.

 It's crying in front crying in front of the congregation, your friend, your wife or indeed your boss without having to worry that they will think any less of you. It's being able to turn to someone admitting that you are hurting, you need help, you can't cope, and that you've had enough. It's letting them see you in your weakest state and allowing yourself to feel what you feel without fear of being judged or ridiculed.

I reckon if we all exercised a healthy amount of vulnerability, this world would be a better place. If only we could allow ourselves to be who we are, to feel what we feel, I believe there would be fewer, no suicides, abortions, resentment, pride, anger, frustration among other things.

Take care!

To listen to my BBC Radio Berkshire interview just click on the link below. It expires in 3 days but can be downloaded to keep!

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01jrz5y/Bridgitte_Tetteh_10_11_2013/

My Upcoming BBC Radio Berkshire Interview....

Are our black women angry? Do they walk as if they've got a chip on their shoulders? Are we fed up with the media stereotyping of black women? What is the way forward for our black women? What are some of the women role models in our society? Join me this Sunday from 8pm till 8:15pm as I join BBC Radio Berkshire Presenter Bridgitte Tetteh to discuss these issues. We will also be discussing my published works as well as my upcoming book. Join me then!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2008/11/28/radio_berkshire_contact_details_feature.shtml

Another glowing review of my book by Gerry Dorrian - http://300wordtheses.blogspot.co.uk/

Monday, 4 November 2013

A Life Steered

I ordered A Life Steered after reading a review of it on author Bertha Mukodzani’s blog by Deswell Chitewe, who champions Zimbabwean authors.

A Life Steered begins with a distressing scene in which the main character’s hard-drinking father finally throws her mother out of the house after many fights. From such a beginning I could not have imagined that the novel would go on to be an uplifting testament to the strength of the human spirit - demonstrating that while our beginnings are always with us, the wings of our hopes await.

The travails of Zimbabwe are expertly understated through the course of the action and are braided with signposts non-Zimbabweans will be able to orientate themselves by. Not that you need to be from Zimbabwe to appreciate A Life Steered: when you focus down on a small group of people and look at the different ways they choose to overcome their obstacles, you never fail to find the universal interplay of suffering and hope, and which one triumphs is often due more to how people approach them than to random interventions of fate.

What struck me particularly is that A Life Steered is set at a time when girls and young women were looking beyond the traditional lot of females in Zimbabwean society, not least the complex politics of polygamy which, whenever that practice arises, seems to favour men. Heroine Sandra’s glass ceilings come not from corporate structures, but the society Bertha describes so lovingly and with such humour. In the UK I don't think we've been totally successful in maintaining what was best about our traditions while we removed our glass ceilings, and would be interested to hear what Bertha thinks. Perhaps food for a future novel?

A Life Steered is Bertha Mukodzani’s (right) first novel, and I was gratified to read on her blog that another one is in the pipeline. I look forward to following her career and to collecting her works.

http://300wordtheses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/a-life-steered.html

 Gerry Dorrian
 300 words

The day I overcame the monster...glossophobia....My Woman of Virtue Presentation.

I attended a women's conference a few weeks ago and I had the pleasure of presenting an article that I had written about being a woman of virtue. This was a very special occasion for me as I had to face my fear of public speaking (glossophobia). It was just what the doctor ordered. My heart raced and adrenaline pumped through my veins but I faced the monster and it felt good! It was even better as I got to do it among a very warm, loving and receptive audience and it's the boost that I needed. The following is the article that I presented which I've had to tweek a little in order to suit the wider audience although the message remains fundamentally the same. Be inspired!

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/news-opinion/bertha-mukodzani-you-woman-virtue-6256596

For the full speech on video visit https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151724571608457&l=4006809075584279329.