Everything ends

It's true you know. The only certainly in life is change, and with change comes the ending of phases in your life. And the beginning of new and wonderful opportunities.

This weekend marks major ends in my life. None of them sole and complete, never to surface again. But there is still sadness.

You know, no matter how much you want that promotion, that new job, that bigger house in the better part of town or what what, there is always an element of sadness at what you are leaving behind, no matter how small that element is... or how big...

And so no matter that I needed more challenge and mental stimulation from my current job, the people and the place was very good to me and they will be sorely missed.

No matter how excited I am about moving to Joburg, to be closer to my 'mini gang' of friends in Joburg, I am leaving behind some super incredibly important people in Pretoria. The most significant group of people in one space that I am saying goodbye to is my capoeira crew, Capoeira Meia Lua (Half Moon). One of our instructors and my dear friend is moving to Cape Town, and my other instructor, and dear friend, feels he cannot carry on on his own - plus he wants to focus more on his spiritual life. I completely understand him. The other kids are all getting super busy, I am moving to Joburg, and well there is just not enough of us together to continue the group.

And so with hugely heavy hearts and sadness, we had out last class on Thursday. And then it hit me on Friday. It is going to be a long time before we are all together again. And this was a group of wonderful people whom I saw twice a week for two and a half hours each time. They were like my anti-depressants. Closer that friends. Capoeira is my religion, they are my support structures within my religion.

There is a saying that there is nothing that a good roda of capoeira cannot fix. However, I want to add that while this may be so, there is nothing that thirty minutes with the kids at Meia Lua cannot fix. Even if there is no capoeira involved.

So while this month is a month of re-birth, it is bitter sweet, for an much as I gain, I am saying many goodbyes, even though they are not final. Even though none of us are dying and we are all still in the same province (except one) and maybe a 30 minute drive from each other, this weekend is a time of celebration and sadness.

And so, I suppose this is a letter to say thank you to Chris and Kyla - teachers are more important in life than they are given credit for. They mentor, guide, encourage their students to grow. And honestly, the world would never have got to where we are, in religion, spirituality, ballet, dance, sports, capoeira, without the guidance of teachers.

Imho, Luntu, Charlise and Jocshi, Gabe, Annamart (aka Annamom) Carin, Ac, Wehan and Kylene, my capoeira family of amazingness, good training, sweating and partying together!

To Debbie, Salim, Aletta, Levercia, Bobby and Nqobile, my work family, relationship counselors and clowns of amazingness.

To Pretoria, I never thought I would miss you but I might, just a little bit. You have been good to me this year.

To my people here is Pretoria who have been here since forever and whom are too numerous to mention (ballet, Botswana, horse riding, school, etc etc etc).

It's a big goodbye, albeit temporary.

And so I wish you all, all of you wonderful lights in my life, até que nós ver outra vez:

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye."