It’s been a crazy two weeks in the Mzansi household. Firstly, my dad’s house burned to the ground, then my little sister wrote off the car in a car accident. The day after, my mom celebrated her 60th birthday.

I count myself very lucky: both my dad and my little sister are fine, physically, although my dad had to get a couple of stitches on his hand. The birthday party went well and was enjoyed by the 100+ guests at the party.

During times like these you really get a sense of what is important in this life. Stuff comes and goes – people are all that matter.What Is Important

My dad actually built our house himself, over 7 years. During that time we lived on the property in a granny flat that was built first. Lucky for us, the granny flat had no fire damage, so my dad could move straight into there, although it took a couple of days to have the water and electricity rerouted away from the main house.

I cannot stress enough the amazing support he received from neighbours, friends and family. Within a couple of hours, a neighbour had given him some cash, without being asked, to get a temporary ID and celphone. Another neighbour had driven with him to the regional Home Affairs office, around 45 minutes away, to go apply for a temporary ID and some family and friends had given him a bed, bedding, a microwave, kettle and other appliances and food.

We are all still very sad about the loss of the house. Especially poignant for us was the piano, which always provided us with endless entertainment over 25 years. The property was insured, so the insurance is doing its thing, but we all know that it will never be the same.

Above all, I was just grateful that my father was okay. All the “stuff” would not have mattered a bit if he was not. We managed to recover some photos and clothing, but it is just a bonus, after all.

In my next post I will chat a little bit about the car accident and the party.

Kevin Mzansi