Life's Opposites

Life is full of opposing circumstances: poverty and wealth, despair and joy, naïveté and wisdom, failure and success, fear and faith, illness and health, ignorance and knowledge, loneliness and companionship, death and life. What meaning do we find in these contrasts? It’s nearly impossible to journey through life without encountering such dualities.

Despite growing up in a poor family, I was surrounded by the comforting love of a wonderful mother who always saw the best in me. Her words of praise laid a foundation of confidence that shaped my outlook. I believe her exceptional example profoundly influenced the person I became.

Thanks to her support, I excelled both in the classroom and on the athletic field. However, I remained naïve about the world and was unprepared for the disappointments caused by those driven by manipulation and self-interest.

As a young boy, I was often sick and was hospitalized at the age of three. Doctors eventually discovered a rare blood disorder—hereditary spherocytosis—that left me weak and anemic. When my family moved from Cape Town to Namaqualand, the new climate and lifestyle worked wonders for my health. Soon, I regained my strength, made new friends, and even learned to speak Afrikaans.

After my father’s death, we returned to Cape Town, and I eventually found myself in Johannesburg, working for a corporate giant. There, I steadily climbed the ladder of success and, within a year, was offered a managerial position, complete with a company car and an overseas trip. I enjoyed a long, successful career until the company was sold.

So, I decided to strike out on my own as a photographer. Starting over was daunting; until then, I had always reported to a boss and received a monthly paycheck. In the corporate world, work found me—now, I had to seek it out. I tried many ventures, but most didn’t succeed. I often felt lost and alone, but perseverance was my only option.

Eventually, depression set in as the world became overwhelming—a dark void seemed to swallow me whole. To keep despair at bay, I focused on a simple goal: growing tomatoes in my garden. It may sound trivial, but the anticipation of tasting a tomato I had nurtured helped pull me out of the darkness.

Now, after 35 years of self-employment, I can say I eventually found my path to success. When I shared some of my experiences with my grandson, he exclaimed, “Oupie, you are indomitable.”

I had to look up what that meant. Something indomitable can’t be beaten. People with indomitable spirits don’t need pep talks or protein shakes—their strength comes from within.

The adjective indomitable begins with the Latin prefix in-, meaning "not." The second part comes from the Latin domitare, meaning "to tame." So, the word literally means "not able to be tamed." Indomitable is often paired with "spirit" or "personality" to describe someone with a can-do attitude.

I am fortunate to be blessed with exceptional children and grandchildren, and to have shared nearly 53 years with my beautiful wife. Life’s challenges still arise, but I now face them with the wisdom and resilience gained from decades of experience. No matter what obstacles come my way, I know I have the inner strength to persevere—and to savour every moment along the journey.