I woke up with a smile on my face

Wonderfully all my worries and complains had already faded away

Coincidentally the sun too, outside was at its shining peak and best

The effects of the light rays were directly felt from all directions

It was a sign, indicative of the era we all find ourselves within

An era, of new possibilities and hope

An era, of everything, is possible

An era, whereby dreams and goals are all achievable

An era, whereby essentially respect and love are a way of living

But neither forgetting our past nor letting it dictate nor pollute

Our way of thinking and interacting with others, now

Irrespective of one’s culture, religion, belief and colour

Due to the fact, that we are all one

We dearly owe our existence and oneness, to those fallen heroes and heroines

That gave it, their utmost best fighting for the freedom and rights,

That we inappreciably take granted for and abuse, hence celebrating

Those that made this taste and feeling of liberation possible

What an unbearable insult to the dead, who put the life of theirs

And those of their families in jeopardy for us to be freed

In our own native (indigenous) land, the land of our ancestors

The land, which its beauty is worth the suffering, struggling and fighting for,

As it showers peace and harmony unto ordinary people

A land that has it all; the magnificent landscapes, hills, mountains, bushes

Slopes, dams, natural resources, wetlands, oceans, wild animals, rivers and the forests

The land that is selectively, uniquely beautified and shaped to meet the requirements,

The expectations and the needs of the indigenous habitants

What else could it be if not, the breath-taking motherland of ours

For we graciously owe our souls to our environment, for it, protected

Our unsung fallen heroes and heroines during struggle times,

As they had nowhere to hide, but to use it as shelter, meanwhile crossing borders into our neighboring countries

Let us now, not destroy it, but rather preserve and take good care of it, as it did to our struggle heroes, and still does to us

Then why destroy it, kill or even poach animals that complete the environment

It has been a long and not an easy road, but I still woke up with a smile on my face

Not because I have money, but because I am free like a bird

I am neither a prisoner nor institutionalized in my own thoughts

For I am not restricted by any racial laws from unleashing my own potential

And being the best that I fully know and believe, I am destined to become

For I am free like water that flows underneath the ground,

I am free like a river that flows freely without any disruptions, whatsoever

And all that is left for me to do, is to move around and explorer endless opportunities

That I am graciously blessed and provided with

And start making things happen for me instead of expecting hand-outs

And always complaining on how one is suffering and heartlessly stricken

By poverty meanwhile one is not willing to work, to have a better life

Meanwhile one’s behaviours, actions and doings are somehow contributing

And going against any measures of combating poverty

The fallen heroes and heroines from all ages may have laid down the foundation,

But it is now up to us, to finish building and roofing the shelter

No one else but you and I

Let us not let bad times, be the only defining moments of change

Because even good times could still be the defining moments of better things to happen

And when we as a country don’t reach the success and expectations we have set for ourselves, let us not blame the past

For we fail to do the same, when there are beneficial developments and opportunities occurring

As a result of the lessons from our past that had been heavily clouded by oppression, racial prejudice and suppression

But still though, in my world a horrible past and experience always teaches one as well as a country to be better,

And that needs to be acknowledged,

For it is the honest truth is no longer about where we have been, but rather where, we as a nation

Are going to, and how our future shall turn out to be?

As a result of what we decide to do, from now on,

You and I now have immeasurable power to make a huge difference

Of which we all long to have

This is the freedom we got through and in exchange with certain leaders losing their wonderful lives, whilst leaving innocent kids to be without parents

Only you and I can make our nation something to be proud of

I woke up with a smile on my face

And felt the wind blowing softly to my ears

And as I looked up, the sky, gave me a clear reason to smile even more

Meanwhile the beautiful melodies of birds were making me feel like I am truly in heaven though I’m simply in this exceptional democratic country of ours

You and I have the power to create the change, which we are in need of, in our own land, the land of our ancestors and gods.

What a beautiful land it is?

I am proud to be a South African