October 7th is the birthday of
the Right Revd. Mpilo Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of Cape Town (Emeritus) I think about the privilege I had to work
for him and when the time and place is appropriate I do not mind to drop his
name as one person who had a huge influence in my life. When other people tell
jokes about the jokes that he is so fond to make, I can tell jokes about me and
him like the one where he called out to me across the courtyard one evening on
our way home and I was proudly wearing a leather skirt made my mother… “ Hey
Simone, where is the skirt to the belt you are wearing!” It was hilarious and I
can still see him laughing and having fun with this youth from the
countryside who had the chance to work for a Nobel Peace Prize winner and best
of all, someone who saw in me the potential to be part of something great –
building peace in our country.
Impressions of a youth all grown up
We are inadvertently shaped
By our interactions
With those around us
We always have the opportunity
To shape others
By our examples and choices wise
We are always interconnected
Conscious and unconscious
All part of one universe
We are always called to practice
mindfulness
An understanding sometimes transient
Collectiveness a challenge, sadly less and less natural
We are never truly bound to be whom we were
set out to be
The universe always converges
Calling on all to act conscientiously
By Simone Beatrice Naik Hagfeldt,
2013-10-07
Happy Birthday Baba, I appreciate the time
I worked for you.
Happy Memories
You surprised me
On my 21st birthday party and we danced under the stars
We danced together
At the celebrations on the lawn on your 60th
birthday party
Now you live there and I live here
Our lives forever linked by the long-ago contact
over one year!
By Simone Beatrice Naik Hagfeldt, 2013-10-07
