Speech: Night of Inspiration (Oranjemund)

Good Morning Her Excellency Madam Geingos, The Principal Mr. Neiwoudt, honourable guests, protocol observed and last but most certainly not least, ladies and gentlemen. I come from a time when Mr. Meyer was the principal, when Mr. Neuwoudt taught wood work and was vice principal. A time where we did not have a fence around the school, yet we were obedient enough to not simply walk out, a time where being scholar patrol was like getting a gift from Santa, a time where being the one to blow the whistle at scholar patrol duty, was pretty much the same as making president I presume. A time where being on the A team of the netball team was a great achievement. A time where school tours to cape town where what we lived for.

A time where going to buy 3 dollar chips from the place behind Nightcall was a daily routine, buying wilsons from Savannah was a must and having money for the game shop was what life was really about. Coming back to Oranjemund takes me back several years, enough to have me reflect on the journey life has taken me and the journey I know you too will take. Oranjemund is a small town, but this is the greatest blessing you will encounter. A factor you will come to appreciate long after you leave and a factor that teaches you one of the essential life lessons, which is family.

When I speak about family, I do not only speak about your immediate family, but about each and every person who plays a role in your life. Your friends, your teachers and each and every person who influences your life. I want to teach you of three concepts that one of my mentors TD Jakes taught me, your destiny people, your journey people and your road people. In life you will come across these three people, and it is essential that you learn at a young age who these people are to ensure you walk your life journey.

Your Destiny people are the people you will need to see out each and every one of your dreams. These are the people who will help you reach your destination. These are what we call today your ride or dies. These people will stick by you when the weather is sunny, when it rains and hails. They will pick you up when you fall, wipe your tears when you cry and hold your hand when all is dark. These people are essential to meet, each and everyone of us need to meet our destiny people because they will help you go where you need to go.  These are the people who will tap you on the shoulder and say “hallo, wrong direction. I think you are going the wrong way”. These people are sometimes already in our lives and we simply need to identify them. These people we call your destiny people.

Then you find your Journey people. These ones one can easily mistake to be your ride or dies. They will be with you when you get that promotion. They will be there when all is beautiful and light. They will want to be associated with you and seen as your friend. These people are what we call “here to party with you, but not here to cry with you”. Because they spend so much time with you, because they would like to see where you are going in life, they start to look like friends. And in most cases they are, but you need to be careful to ensure that you do not mistake them for your destiny people. The journey people tend to disappear after sometime. Their interest goes away, and when you need them most they are nowhere to be seen.

Then you find your Road people. These are dangerous, because they secretly route for your failure. They do not want to see you do well. They will smile with you, and even keep you close because they want to see what you are doing, with who you are doing it and are you doing well at it. These people are usually jealous of you and wish they had what you have. They speak badly of you behind your back. They usually don’t last long. They can also leave great damage and be the worst influence in your life. These people are what we call your road people.

In life we all have to travel a journey. On that journey you are guaranteed to meet 

1. Your destiny people 

2. Your journey people 

3. Your road people. 

It is extremely important that you find out which category the people in your life fall in, because this will determine how far you go in life. The people you hang with are very important. They influence many of your decisions and can either break you, or build you. When you look at your friends, are they the kind of friends that encourage you to study and do well? Or are they the kind of friends that do not do their homework? When you look at the people you spend most of your time with, are these the kind of people who tell you, you are smart, or do they break you down and tell you, you are lazy? Stupid?

You need to take a close look at the people you let influence you, because they become your family outside home. The same way you have a family at home with brothers and sisters, and parents who ensure you are fed and taken care of. Is the same thing you should have when you come to school. People who care about you and are real friends.

Choose them wisely.