When the Student Is Ready, the Teacher Will Appear
My mother certainly did her part to prepare us for adult life. When it came to cooking, however, the teacher had been ready long before the student showed any interest!
From Burnt Food to Life Lessons
Whenever my mother went to choir practice or rehearsed for a revue, I was responsible for keeping an eye on the food. The problem was that my body was in the kitchen, but my mind was usually somewhere else. The result? Quite a few culinary disasters! Fortunately, our neighbour taught me a few tricks for rescuing burnt food. That was probably all the student was ready to learn then.
After my studies, when I started working in Stellenbosch, reality quickly caught up with me. Earning a junior clerk’s salary and living far from my mother meant that cooking skills would have come in very handy. YouTube wasn’t an option back then, so I borrowed a copy of Kook en Geniet (Cook and Enjoy), a popular South African cookbook, from the local library.
Our two years in London after completing our articles put my cooking skills to the test even further. My husband was studying full-time, and we had to make ends meet on my salary alone. When survival becomes your greatest motivation, you learn surprisingly quickly! I began experimenting, adapting recipes and finding creative ways to stretch simple ingredients. Eventually, I even started giving cooking lessons to friends who, like us, were trying to make ends meet in London. In a curious twist, the student had finally become the teacher.
When Having Less Teaches You More
I recently came across a thought that made me stop and reflect:
“You only discover abundance after surviving the emptiness of having nothing.”
This applies not only to money or material possessions but also to relationships, health, time and our understanding of who we really are. Missing something makes us appreciate its true worth.
This has also changed my perspective as a parent. We want to protect our children and spare them pain and disappointment. But as much as we might wish to, we cannot learn every lesson for them.
Looking back, I realise that the seasons of scarcity, uncertainty and challenge have taught me the most. My understanding of abundance has changed. It is not necessarily about how much we have, but learning to see and appreciate what we have already been given.
Relationships: Abundance Lies in Connection
We are not meant to travel through life alone. Often, pain teaches us to love more deeply, be more patient and reach out first. Relationships that break down can leave us doubting ourselves. Yet loving, supportive relationships remain one of the greatest forms of abundance in my life.
Switzerland has been a remarkable teacher in this regard. Here I have come to understand the value of genuine friendship. Meaningful relationships do not simply happen; they require time, attention and a willingness to build bridges, sometimes by taking the first step ourselves. The international community we live in has broadened my perspective and reminded me how much we can learn from one another. We do not have to be the same to enrich each other’s lives.
Health: A Precious Gift
Sometimes we wait until age becomes our teacher before we truly pay attention to our health. We take it for granted until life reminds us just how precious it is.
The Swiss emphasis on health and well-being has set a good example for me. At the same time, I have watched friends, even those who lead healthy lifestyles, struggle with injuries and medical diagnoses. We cannot fully control health or afford to take it for granted. But we can take responsibility for what has been entrusted to us, listen to our bodies with greater appreciation and stop putting our well-being off until tomorrow.
Time and Identity: Who Am I Beyond My Roles?
Living in Switzerland has taught me something more personal. I have realised how much of my identity was tied to my various roles and the contributions I made. But who am I when there is more time and fewer familiar roles to identify with? When I am no longer busy achieving something or being needed by someone, am I comfortable with myself just as I am?
These questions have made me realise how easily we try to establish our place in the world and forget to be ourselves. Our worth lies not only in what we do, but also in who we are. We are enough without being constantly busy, useful or successful. Our roles may change without diminishing our value.
I am learning that time is not simply something to fill. It is a gift we can choose to spend consciously: on the people who matter, on the things that give our lives meaning, and on discovering who we are when we have nothing to prove.
Perhaps one of the most meaningful forms of abundance is making peace with who we are while remaining open to who we may yet become.
Life as Our Teacher: We Remain Students for Life
Looking back, I smile at the different versions of myself: the girl who had to watch the food, the student with her library cookbook, and the young woman in London who had to learn to make ends meet. Each experience contributed to the person I am now.
We remain students throughout our lives. Every new season brings fresh challenges and opportunities to grow. We learn through mistakes, loss, and quiet moments in which we rediscover ourselves. Some lessons only make sense years later.
As parents, we can love, support and guide our children, but we must also give them the space to discover their own wisdom. Perhaps life is not about avoiding every difficult lesson or having all the answers. It is about embracing the teachings each season brings.
Abundance is not about having everything. It is about learning to see what life has taught us with new eyes, and sharing that wisdom with others with an open heart.
