Skip to main content

Never Too Old (by Danie)

 







I love my wife, I adore her, respect her, trust in her and envy her. Here’s my reason why:

If I try to describe the job that my wife does twice a week, you will say I’m lying or exaggerating. Fact is, I’m not doing either. For those of you who do not know what fat traps are, I will enlighten you, but not necessarily brighten your day. According to municipal laws, restaurants may no longer wash solid waste and fats into municipal waste pipes.  Therefore, restaurants have fat traps or fat separators which capture this waste. Now, this nasty waste must be cleaned out so that the normal flow of water is not inhibited. Thereafter the waste is taken away for safe disposal at a recycling or incinerating plant.

Fat trap waste







When Tanja realized that the burden of our existence was hers to bear, she sent away more than twenty-five job applications. Even though she has years of experience in the field for which she was applying she has no formal qualification. For most of these applications there was no response, but those who did respond had one or more of the following excuses for not accepting her: No qualification; too old (seriously?); and (sorry to say) too white.

So, she took the job which happened to be available and that nobody else would want to do – cleaning fat traps. It’s a smelly, greasy, disgusting job and if I were able, I would do it and spare her the indignity. But, as always, Tanja has a positive perspective in most matters, and says that any job is better than no job at all.

We’re on the road a lot and because I can no longer drive, Tanja drives and I go along for moral support and an extra set of eyes on our unsafe South African roads (for those who are familiar with our taxis). It’s a long, tiring day and when we finally get home, she finds time to educate herself, doing online courses and practical training in order to better equip herself for something she will enjoy doing. She has completed hospitality and nutritional diploma courses and her latest diploma courses entails lymphatic drainage and cupping massage treatments (for which she is now qualified). She is actually busy with this twice a week, sharing a therapy room with two other ladies.  


Therapy Room







I am completely amazed at her perseverance and realize that women can do anything just as well as men, if not better. When we had our mechanical workshop, she helped with many repairs and definitely knows more about the mechanics of vehicles, parts and tools than most men.

There is no end to Tanja’s endurance and commitment to those she loves. She energizes me every day and has never given up on anyone or anything worth pursuing. She often needs to remind me that there is no problem that we can’t overcome, even when it seems impossible (like reaching our children overseas).

Tanja, you are an inspiration to many and I am privileged above all that you were and still are willing to share your life with me.  

Let this be a lesson to all of us, and remind yourself that you’re never too old to try something new. Age is only a number. Get as much as you can out of life while you are able. Change your career if you must. Challenge yourself to achieve new goals. Try something new.

Just don’t give up.


Labels:
Location: Western Cape, South Africa

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Island In The Sun (by Danie)

  When I was still able to go for daily walks I met amazing people along the way, some of whom became good friends and continue to visit me on a regular basis. I want to share a thought with you about my island in the sun , but before I go there, I’d like to fill you in on the reason to create such a place. It was a visit from one of these friends, who after listening to me vent, suggested that I build myself an island – create my own safe and secure escape. A happy place that I can visit any time and as often as I want. I have undergone some serious changes in my life. Not only financially or physically, but my whole psyche has changed. It’s like I’ve taken on a whole new persona, a hunchback of Notre Dame, if you will. A hidden kind of monster that is trying to force its way out, against all odds, against my best efforts to contain it. And what a monster this is that even I fear him. Who knows what he is capable of? Tanja, being very perturbed by my mental (in)stability dec...
Post a Comment
Read more

When Giving Up Feels Like the Best Option (by Tanja)

  I promised myself this post would be honest.  Not pretty. Not polished. Just us.  So here it is — the part of the journey where survival feels heavier than hope. Some days, the fight feels endless . The weight of survival presses on our shoulders, and no matter how hard we push, the ground beneath us doesn’t seem to give way to solid footing.  I wonder why we keep fighting. Why we keep pushing against the tide when it feels like the tide always wins. Keeping our little business alive takes every ounce of energy, every bit of grit we can muster.  Every day we pour ourselves into it — our time, our energy — and yet the reward feels so small compared to the effort. T he numbers don’t add up, the efforts don’t bring results, and the exhaustion sets in deeper than before.  It feels like we’re running on fumes, pushing so hard and still getting nowhere.  We work, we try, we give it all… and at the end of the day, it’s just not enough. For Danie, health is ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Dismal Dance (by Tanja)

  Someone asked me a question this week that stopped me in my tracks. “Do you have a Plan B?” It was asked kindly. Practically. Sensibly. But it didn’t land practically. It landed here — in that quiet place where fear lives. What will you do if Danie dies? What will you do if your small business doesn’t work out? What if everything you are holding together… simply unravels? I smiled at the time. Gave a reasonable answer. Something about taking life one day at a time. But later, alone, the question replayed in my mind. Do I have a Plan B? The truth is — my life already feels like Plan Q. Some days it feels like I’m doing a strange, disjointed dance. One step forward, two steps back. A sale here and there … followed by an unexpected expense. A moment of hope… followed by exhaustion. A burst of confidence… followed by doubt. It’s not a graceful waltz. It’s more like a dismal shuffle on uneven ground. And I find myself wondering: Is everyone’s life like this? Or is it ...
Post a Comment
Read more