Laetitia.GloryRealm

On Friday, 27 March 2026, we received one of those phone calls you never want to get: my father-in-law had passed away. As I sit with the quietness of his loss, my mind travels back forty years to where it all began. My first memories of him date back to 1986. Stephanus and I were still in matric—young, innocent, and at the very beginning of a long journey. Even then, though I didn’t see him often during the day, because he was a Pastor of the AFM Church and a fulltime lecturer,  he carried a presence that commanded immediate respect. The Car, the Camera, and a Lesson in Composure He was the one who drove Stephanus back and forth between our houses, and I will always be grateful for that effort; he kept our young friendship alive. One of my most vivid memories involves our matric farewell. Because I had my driver’s license and Stephanus only had his learner’s, his father entrusted us with his car. It was a big responsibility for two teenagers, and naturally, things didn’t go quite ...

  It’s been a while since I’ve written anything on this platform… Since getting married on 14 August — and with our 5th wedding anniversary approaching this year — it almost feels as if I died to a previous version of my life. Whenever a new door opens, there will always be something you mourn about your old life. But there will also be things you deeply appreciate and celebrate in the new one. That rhythm of loss and gratitude never really changes. It’s funny how I became so used to being single again after a 17-year marriage. I grew perfectly comfortable in my own skin — going to movies alone, having coffee dates with myself, and occasionally spoiling myself with a restaurant meal. I even went on holiday alone to Blouberg Strand in Cape Town, moved to Mossel Bay, and truly enjoyed the quietness and solitude. But here’s the unexpected twist: now that I am married to my best friend, I don’t even feel the desire to go sit somewhere alone with a cup of coffee anymore. It’s simply not...