How lucky am I? My mother, Marion Pretorius, was my mentor. She taught me to say "No", and she taught me to say "Yes". To say "No" when people wanted to take advantage of me, and to create opportunity for good things to enter my life by saying "Yes". "Yes" makes room for you to have all sorts of experiences, to learn, and to grow your confidence. All sorts of confidence count as tickmarks. Confidence answering the phone. Confidence organising a function. Confidence using an email program. Confidence using... confidence doing... confidence making... confidence speaking... confidence in action. And as the pile of tickmarks grows, so does confidence.
I don't think 'natural' is good. There are many things that we apply (some almost arbitrary) (some ignorant and backward ideas of natural and not-natural agenda-propagating) rules of morality. I think 'natural' is a political rhetoric, profoundly abused. 'Diversity' is the only defensible rhetoric for 'thinking' beings. We are not, of course, the only creatures that do thinking, but we are the only creatures with the power to oppress others and other creatures whose languages we don't understand. Us (badly) thinking creatures, slowly, ponderously gathering the evidence of our badness (I see no reason for your (god's) patience with us), have the ability to decide to be better than (the fashionable) 'natural' of the day. It is our responsibility to transcend our vileness. Just that. That one task. Our thinkingness I believe is for that. A world (constructed by god) to demonstrate this point. And we will find every rhetor...
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She taught me to never give up on myself and give back to society.
Di is the best mentor a girl could hope for.
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