OccuPASSIONal Therapy

Monday, the 27th of May marked a very special day in the lives of my epic OT 4th year class. We were all in the midst’s of Midterms at our various practical venues. I am currently in my physical block, one that I struggle with every year to try and wrap my head around. Our block was wonderfully interrupted by a day of catchphrases, macklemore, flasmobbing and Frank Kronenberg. You might not know this gentleman, not being part of the OT craze, But this gentleman is an incredible OT having written books that we as OT’s refer to. “Occupational Therapy without borders”. You know he’s really cool when you google his name and goggle casually says... Results: about 540000. I mean WOW! So this was a really great day. Beyond great. We were all pulled out of prac to join Frank Kronenberg and our two incredible lecturers, Chantal and Helga. We were finally together as a class again after so many months of being apart. And if you know my class, this time period is depressing. I love my class, so much. What an incredible bunch of fighters and big big hearts. I am going to be jumping around in this blog, which is quite well linked to this day we had- my head was everywhere, my emotions everywhere and my heart in the exact right place. We were so fortunate to share a day with Frank Kronenberg, pick at his brain a bit and listen to the incredible journey of OT that this man has been on. It was the exact motivation and “pick me up” that we needed. I wish I could go into everything that was learnt this day. There is just too much. I am a very “sayings” kind of person. I loooove sayings and I find they often keep me going through some of the more difficult times. Some of the sayings I picked up from frank’s talk that just seem to resonate with me(OT related): 1. Dance like a butterfly, sting like a bee. 2. Jack of all trades, master of one (ultimately what OT’s have been pegged as. I like to think that we will master some). 3. Poverty is not only the lack of money and resources, it is capability deprivation as well. 4. Occupation= occuPASSION=passion put into practise. 5. OT’s are artists and scientists. 6. A follower makes a lone nut, a leader. 7. HAPPINESS. In a story told to us, a woman cried uncontrollable crying when she experienced being hapy for the first time, because she had no experiential frame of reference of what happiness felt like. This statement shook every core of my being. We are so blessed. So those are some of the sayings that resonated with me. These sayings, along with the event of this great day, will resonate in my heart for a very long time. this event being: THE OT 4 FLASHMOB: ARE YOU WHAT YOU WEAR?! OT is all about starting movements, and this is what I love about OT. It speaks so well to me because I love the idea of movements, of a small group of people making something happen. With the leadership of our very, Chantal Christopher, we were inspired by the macklemore’s THRIFTSHOP song. A song that illuminates how we should be ok with being different. I mean, wearing your grandpa’s clothes? And yet, it started a revolution. And we strived to do the same. As only my crazy class can. We decided on a flashmob. And what a success it was. Day 1 of being on Youtube and almost 400 hits. I’m pretty sure its gonna go viral. It has to! What inspired me about this flashmob was something that Frank touched on. In SA, with apartheid and then the democratic movement, a group of the struggle survivors said that “We’re not singing and dancing anymore”. Meaning there is still this separation so evident in our beautiful country. And on this historic day of OT 4’s 2013, we showed them that we are dancing and singing again. In our class photo, I couldn’t help but notice that not one “group” or “clique” in our class were standing together in the photo. We were integrated after a beautiful afternoon of dancing as a group to Thriftshop in front of our entire university in the middle of the UKZN Westville quad. The singing, dancing movement and having a purpose united our class even MORE than usual. You know when you know that it is going to be a great day when you walk into class at 8.30 in the morning and the energy levels are already soaring. It was simply a wonderful most beautiful day of tears, laughter and a MOVEMENT. I think we all went home that night and pondered on the simple question: are you what you wear? And we hope that our flashmob video movement will express the movements that OT creates as well as challenge people into becoming who they really are. Thank you Chantal, Helga and Frank for this day. It was lifechanging. check out our youtube video. Its great. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cKa08R_Jr4

I used to be an avid blogger

So I am back. Finally have a little breathing space amongst the craziness of 4th year. Still a bit resentful, NO-OONE WARNED US! But that’s beside the point. I am usually one to try be positive, but fail miserably most of the time. Especially in my head. But I can truly say with all my heart that this year has been such a learning experience. I have grown up in the short space of 5 months. Been tested to my absolute limits. Cried so many tears (I didn’t know one human could have so many). It seems a bit selfish to say, while studying a degree meant to enrich the lives of others, and instead I am focussing on my growth. But I think that is what it is with life. The biggest moments and times in our lives while influencing others are the ones that shape us the most. Make us who we are. I have learnt that clichés are sometimes the ONLY way to describe something. I hate clichés, up until now that is. Because I am a walking cliché. For example: 1. There is light at the end of the tunnel. (THERE REALLY IS!) 2. There is always a silver lining. (annnd... there is!!) 3. What doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger. (I’m not dead am I?) 4. Fake it til you make it. (confidence really is key) So that is the last five months in a nutshell. Two blocks down, half way through the third. Never did I ever think that times could go soooooooo FAST but so sloooooooooowly at the same time! I hate wishing my life away, but really, this year needs to end now. It has been a tough road, and I feel like there’s only more challenges ahead. I never thought I would come to the point where accepting failure would be ok for me. But I pushed through that, and its no longer an option. Negativity aside, and the dread that is OT, this has been one of the most incredible years of my life. I have seen how friends can come together and support each other in the most simple yet most beautiful ways (Stine, my special friend driving all the way to Umdloti just to give me a hug when I was having a bad day). Its because we GET it. No-one else gets it. That sometimes you just need someone to sit with you, and say I KNOW-it sucks. This year has taught me to shed the negative “vibes” in your life. It is JUST not worth it. This year has taught me that family is flipping ridiculous. Mine especially, they have lifted me up when I thought all I could do was fall. I have learnt to not be so serious all the time. Why stress over the things that you really have no control over? I realise reading back that I have made this degree sound like the devil’s occupation with all the tears, and no strength, and failing. But it is the complete opposite of that. What we do is amazing. It is a beautiful degree, yet such a strong degree at the same time. Beautifully strong. And it has made me, and my incredible class, beautifully strong. I’ll brag about my degree another time. But for now, know that it is NOT just a degree. It is my life. (Might as well be seeing as it has consumed my life for the past 3 and a half years!)