Icon’s, celebrities, super stars, hero’s or whatever we call
standing out in society have an inherent similarity to ordinary citizens and that is that somewhere in their
makeup they are also normal.
The past 12 months saw devastating impacts on various sports
celebrities. How painful is it to see
Joost van der Westhuizen the former rugby hero (see him walking and listening
to him talking), Mark Boucher our cricket celebrity almost losing his eye in a
freak accident in a cricket match. Now we have Oscar Pistorius, world
renowned athlete shattered following a life changing four shots killing his
girlfriend. Reeva Steenkamp died as a model, celebrity and known personality. Lance Armstrong was centre in a drug scandal.
Many years ago it was Tiger Woods and his “underground lifestyle” and the most
famous for South Africans was Hansie Cronje and his match fixing scandal and eventual
tragic death – now Oscar follows in his footsteps.
What has happened to all of them is normal and happens to
the ordinary citizens every day. Anine Booysen lost her life through rape and
left her parents behind in a dramatic rape case in Bredasdorp in the Western
Cape. The former investigating officer Botha in the Pistorius case in what is described
as “bad day” in the witness stand has been taken off the case - all of a sudden
to hear that a case of attempted murder withdrawn many years ago has been reopened –
in the late afternoon after his dismal witness appearance in court. What an unbelievable coincidence
on a day when it seems as if the state had no foot to stand on against Oscar - quick thinking by the powers to be shattering an ordinary policeman?
Are we prepared for
the “happening” in our lives –if we are hardworking labourers, blue collar
workers, politicians or if we are executions and celebrities? In a recent
interview cricket star Mark Boucher was very realistic saying that the accident
causing him to lose out site in his eye and thereby not reaching the milestone 150
test match could have happened in his first or second test of his career
leaving him without a career. He is very thankful even if this has happened.
Following a heart operation eight years ago I read the book
“Halftime” making me realize that it is time to get to the change room of life,
re strategize, redirect certain priorities and to make that life change for the
second half or what is intended to be a last half of my life”. As it is
referred the change from Excellence to Significance. Am I achieving full significance
– no – I have to get back to the change room of life from time to time and
again do adjustments.
I heard Joost talking to Jacaranda radio station in the past
week on his birthday and realized that the once hero of Loftus Versfeld rugby
stadium and the rugby nation is just as ordinary as all of us, he is just worse
off as he has a daily counter on his life and he knows it. Ordinary people and
celebrities all have a counter but we don’t see or hear it “tick”. Mark Boucher
has taken his second half and moved in a worthy charity focusing on anti-rhino
pouching. Our counter could reach its target in seconds without warning us - did Oscar think his Valentines day would be
such a disaster?
Oscar, following his gloom, glamour, fight for recognition and
achieving success has a hard gravel road ahead, whatever the outcome of the
court case his life has changed forever the night of 13 February – he should
still be in the mode of Excellence and he would probably have to go to the
change room of life and decide which way forward. Reeva Steenkamp did not have
a chance in live to get to the change room and call halftime – she was still
young and in her Excellence phase not necessary to re strategize. She was still
on the compass and GPS phase with a call for “recalculating” now and then,
change direction and move on in success. But the ordinary girl from Bredasdorp,
Anine Booysen followed the same route as Reeva – a world just as shattered
about her death as with Reeva.
For Oscar the GPS have temporarily switched off as any
direction now might be the wrong direction and the court has put limitations on
his direction – the outcome of the court case starting in June 2013 will
determine his next and new direction. Hard life………but faith, prayer and belief
are the cornerstones of his life, more than ever before.
And the families -in situations like this families and close
friends make changes, choices and sacrifices – each of the mentioned
celebrities’ families and friends made sacrifices. Bitterness at least with the Booysen and Steenkamp
families and so many we don’t know whilst uncertainty will haunt the Pistorius family
for many months to come.
It happens to all of us – when we are in the run for Excellence
we must listen to the GPS of life and the recalculating turnaround messages. When
the time of our life is there we must go to the change room of life and
strategize for Significance – our counter of life ticker could change its
stance in seconds.
