"A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance. So if you now number yourself among the disenchanted, then you have no choice but to accept things as they are, or to seriously seek something else. But beware of looking for goals: look for a way of life. Decide how you want to live and then see what you can do to make a living within that way of life. - Hunter S Thompson
It is the beginning of October, Autumn in the Middle East and finally, after an excruciating July and August the extreme summer temperatures and humidity are slightly letting up and giving us city dwellers a chance to venture outside and walk the streets of Doha again. The days are still hot but the evenings are getting cooler and I have adjusted my daily routine to include early morning outdoor training sessions and running along the magnificent Corniche. Everywhere, landscapers are trimming trees, planting flowers and maintaining parks and public recreational areas. The city and its people all seem excited for the new season and looking at the city events calendar the Winter of 2025 is promising to be a good one. When I have the evenings free, I pop my earphones in, load it up with my favorite playlist and walk the streets, occasionally stopping in at a coffee shop or a quiet bar where I have become friendly with some of the bartenders and staff. I sit down, have a drink and ask questions. Questions about their lives, their plans and often, their hopes and dreams. I am fascinated by human beings, their stories and their wisdom, often imparted in a matter of fact kind of way over a quick conversation in between cocktail orders. If there is one thing I have learnt over the years it is to listen more intently and to internalize and actively process and analyse what people really mean and feel. I realized that listening doesn’t come naturally to most people. As humans we are prone to be driven by ego and often listen only in order to provide an answer or state our opinion. Becoming aware of this have opened my eyes and heart in profound ways. People want to be heard, understood and accepted. People want their stories to be told and most of us just want to feed our families, live in peace and pursue happiness and fulfillment. I learnt that listening, like love, is a verb. Therefore I try, everyday, to shut up listen. Listen to my fellow man, listen to the voices in my head, to nature and to that thing that is always calling me deep inside my soul. Some call that God, or the Muse or the Universe. Regardless, it is undeniable and inextricably part of the human condition. Many, many people never learn how to listen or even more tragically, never apply or execute the things that they hear deep inside of themselves when they are on their own, late at night and far from the intolerable noise of the world we live in. Some are unable to summon the courage, discipline and dedication to heed the call to adventure. Some, simply don’t have the means, trapped in a battle for day to day survival. To me, answering the call to adventure brought me unforgettable stories, remarkable humans and deep, lasting friendships. Answering “The Call” is not always easy. It involves many lonely times, sad goodbyes, letting go and acceptance. I don’t believe in chasing happiness. Happiness, I feel, is such an overused word. Working hard on the farm with all the struggles, challenges and responsibilities associated with it, spending lots of money and time on recording and writing songs, organizing shows and being far away from my farm, family and friends does not make me happy. I instead find happiness in special moments wherever I happen to be. Doing what I do provides fulfillment, purpose and lots of adventure. It is in the longing, sacrifice, difficult workouts, discipline and grind that I find meaning in this life.
As is the case with many countries all over the world today my home, South Africa, is going through a difficult time. Record levels of unemployment, violent crime, government corruption, poverty and hardship caused by years of greed, mismanagement and total disregard of government for its citizens have caused millions of young, well educated and resourceful professionals of all ethnicities, religions and genders to seek better opportunities, relative safety and higher standards of education for their children elsewhere. They excel, build new lives abroad and become contributing members of society in their new countries. I have been standing at the same crossroads for the better part of a decade now. My chosen profession enables me to find work almost everywhere. It pays well and offers relatively good job security. To top it off my job is also one of my greatest passions. Aviation has been part of my life for as long as I can remember . Almost everything I have done up until now has been in pursuit of some aviation related goal or requirement. I have been blessed with great colleagues, friends, mentors and instructors and I can honestly say that I love my job and look forward to going to work, learn every day and be of service to the aircrews and travellers that transit my sectors daily. However, aviation is what I do, it is not who I am. In recent years I have become the fifth owner of the family farm. I have five dedicated employees and a healthy cattle herd. I have the tremendous privilege of having the whole family on the farm and we are celebrating a hundred and forty years as custodians of this beautiful piece of land. We have weathered many storms, navigated deep and treacherous waters and we are still negotiating challenges daily but the future looks bright for Tygerfontein despite of all the uncertainty in the country. I have incredible, supportive neighbors and as a community we all try to look out for each other. So, after years of wondering and wandering I have decided that I will not leave. I will work my plan, afforded by this opportunity in the Middle East, save my money, invest in my employees and my family and lead by example. I will not apologize for being a patriot of one of the most magnificent countries in the world. I will not apologize for being Afrikaans and for being an African. I choose to work harder, lead with humility and remain open to opinions, difficult conversations and sacrifices that will, in the long run take my small part of the country and the world forward. I will continue to become more independent from government and I will not give in to the propaganda and devision spread by news and social media. I will allow individuals to show me their true colors and make my judgment based on their actions, regardless of their religion, ethnicity or the color of their skin.
I am choosing to go back home when the time comes. Go back to the farm and my people. I have chosen to dedicate more of my life to art. To make my life a piece of art. Art is pursuit. Art is sacrifice. I choose to be an Artist. To me that encompasses everything. To make being an aviator, farmer, songwriter, friend, brother, partner, employer, custodian and colleague a piece of art in its own right feels like a worthwhile endeavour. I want to build a recording studio on the farm where I will invite artists to record their music in a setting that can only be described as prehistorically magnificent. So many great poets, sculptors, writers and musicians have found inspiration in the Vredefort Dome. I want to create more opportunities for artists and perhaps host a celebration in the form of a small arts festival. Free and independent from corporate influences, record labels and the normal gatekeepers that artists have to navigate just to get their work seen and heard. A place where people treat each other and nature with respect and leave no trace afterwards. Who knows what is waiting just around the bend ? Most of all, I want a horse again. And a dog. I want to work my cattle, bale hay and take care of my family and my land. It’s exciting and daunting and I love chasing this elusive mistress we call The Muse.
