You South Africa 13 May 2021

who’ve helped with charging of phones and the laptop. Never again will we take electricity for granted and never again will we go back to wasteful ways. When our power is restored we will continue to boil water for flasks and make toast on the gas; to use a solar light whenever possible; to play board games and read more; to write, paint and get creative with woodwork; to garden and grow veggies; and spend more time together as a family. Perhaps this happened for a reason and as corny as this may sound, I do believe there is “light” at the end of every tunnel. BEULAH LEE HARRIS, SOUTHPORT…

IT’S tempting to feel sorry for yourself when the cold weather starts to settle in, Covid-19 is still a real and ever-present danger, the economy is sluggish, load shedding looms large and all the many other things that can get a girl down. I was having a bit of self-pity party when I read the story on page 10 in which Shaninlea Visser talks about how her life changed after she was bitten by a mongoose. Talk about gaining perspective! It’s incredible how Shan, as she’s called by her loved ones, managed to turn her life around after having her limbs, lips, nose and tip of her tongue amputated. Her determination and grit are nothing short of inspirational. The story snapped me right out of my blue mood, I tell you. I have…

We see posts empowering women daily. This note is to spread some love to the good men out there. We see you, struggling daily to provide for your families, being brave in a crime-infested world, standing by your women and children. We see you crying silently when things go wrong and still having to show a courageous face to the world. We see you trying to cope and evolve. You are respected and appreciated for your goodness. We are deeply thankful for your love, hard work and support. We salute you and know you are doing the best you can. THE WOMEN WHO NOTICE, EMAIL A friend suddenly died and it got me thinking. You never receive death notices without being reminded of your mortality. None of us knows who is next. So,…

I want to agree with the comments about 7de Laan (YOU Say, 29 April). Once Oubaas and Hilda vanished from the scene the soapie fell flat. DE WET VENTER, SMS I’d like to thank YOU and Bramley for the lovely hamper I won in a competition. I love to be pampered and I am thoroughly enjoying using every product. SANDY ESPLIN, SMS Clearly Black Lives Matter doesn’t apply to Mozambique. The atrocities committed there by the very people who shouldn’t be doing that to their own country folk is appalling. Where’s the hue and cry about that from the rest of the hypocritical world? As for the SADC, what a joke. DISGUSTED, SMS I must say how disappointed I am in Oprah. I held her in high esteem. She opened a school for girls here in…

Comfort eating over the past year has left many of us with lockdown love handles. And with Covid-19 remaining an ever-present threat, now more than ever we need to keep our bodies fighting fit so we can deal with any health challenges. That’s where YOU comes in! We’ve worked out a great online plan to help you get fit and strong in 12 weeks. For just R499, Fight the Flab includes weekly meal and workout plans carefully developed by our expert dieticians and fitness gurus. It will help you to eat better, move better and boost your wellbeing. What are you waiting for? Go to fighttheflab.co.za and get started on your journey to health See your writing or news tips in print! Here are the email addresses you need for submitting material…

YOU need to cope with whatever life throws at you to become the best version of yourself. This was part of Prince Harry’s first motivational message for the mental health company that gave him a job earlier this year – and they may well be the words he’s trying to live by himself. Life has been throwing him a lot since he and wife Meghan exited the royal family last year. To many in the land of his birth he’s a traitor who turned his back on his heritage, his family and his country to serve his own interests. To his supporters, he’s just following his heart, carving a life for himself and his family away from the rigours and rules of the royals. And becoming financially independent and throwing himself into causes…