by Alet | May 5, 2021 | Articles, Writing
Maria Margaretha Hough married her first cousin Albertus Hough. Unfortunately, neither she nor her cousin realised that they were both carriers of a regressive gene that caused both their two youngest daughters to be born with microcephaly (abnormal smallness of the...
by Alet | Apr 27, 2021 | Articles, Writing
“Can you give me a hug?” Hugging a complete stranger, and a homeless one at that?! I was completely taken aback. This homeless man was selling Big Issue magazines in one of London’s Underground stations – and I was in a hurry. I wasn’t wearing a WWJD wrist band, but I...
by Alet | Feb 26, 2021 | Articles, Writing
Three of my favourite childhood memories are based on a feeling of absolute security. I remember the warmth of snuggling up to my mother in the church pew, the relief of being able to snuggle behind my dad’s back whenever I had braved the long, dark passage to my...
by Alet | Nov 30, 2020 | Articles, Writing
On one of many flights between South Africa and the UK in order to establish a business in London, my husband Brink was told by a British fellow passenger: “Never lose your accent. South Africans are known for their diligence.” We had to pack up and relocate to the...
by Alet | Nov 11, 2020 | Articles, Writing
Looking at the parable of the prodigal son, I so easily see only the grateful father running to meet and greet his prodigal, dirty, dishevelled son. But the part of the parable that sometimes confronts me personally is seeing this same dignified father going out of...
by Alet | Aug 28, 2020 | Articles, Writing
From the depths of general anaesthesia I could hear the surgeon (also a family friend) calling to me: “Breathe!” at which I obligingly took a deep breath. This happened after a routine operation where the anaesthetist couldn’t get me to begin breathing on my own...
