The SCARS That Made ME by Thabile Maripe

A week or so ago I heard that Thabile Maripe, a renowned media & communications personality would be giving a talk to St. Michael's High School students and I was curious but when I asked her what the talk was about she simply said; "My Life". As a Mikzer product herself, and I mean through & through Grade 0 to Form 5, an eloquent speaker and a very inspiring powerful woman, I couldn't think of a more fitting personality to motivate those young girls. I then asked Maripe to share with us what she refers to as her Personal Journey of Self-Actualisation & Self-Love and I must say, I was moved. It dawned to me that need the scars to heal the wounds!

A girl's mentor: Thabile Maripe poses with the Mikzer girls after her talk

My Personal Journey of Self-Actualisation & Self-Love

A young misunderstood life riddled with sores (both topical and internal) of painstaking silence amidst years of unthinkable sexual violation, abuse, rejection and perpetual longing for belonging, validationand affirmation, are but a handful of the SCARS that made ME!

A life full of void I tried to fill with people and things. But I was later to learn, no person or thing had the capacity to fill those holes of emptiness…thus began my spiritual journey.

The realisation that the world and everyone in it owes me nothing! I owe it to MYSELF and what my Maker placed within me, to love myself enough to know and celebrate my worth as an individual, a Child of a Higher Power, separate of anyTHING or anyONE!

To anyone who needs it, I have this to say: Only until you've fully grasped that will you discover the inner peace that you require to give a better you to others and only then will they truly reap the benefit of who you are and what is placed inside of you. Only then will you discover the stillness you require to hear God as He stirs you to your destiny. Only then will you cease to settle for anything short of what He wants for you!

Needless to say, it is a long and excruciating journey of looking within you (and Up) for answers rather than around you, but one worth taking nonetheless, if you are to realise your true worth! It is true that there is no easy path to anywhere worth going...the sooner we start of that path and make the right choices the better, and the sooner we get to understand how God works! I wish I had known this sooner!

I continue to press on with an attitude of gratitude and an adaptation of what I've termed my own personal keys, my 4Ps: Prayer, Passion, Pursuit andPerseverance! These have sustained me (and continue to sustain me) as I endured other pain-staking adversities and hardships later on in my life! These are the same keys I left at my first Girl-Talk session at my former high school, St. Michael's, a few days ago.

I am determined now than ever to continue with my quest to share snippets - if not all - of the leafs of the story that is my life…to help the Girl Child, to motivate her, and above all to encourage and usher her towards her full God-given potential & purpose!

I cannot say all here, but that said, I may be scarred but I am not defined by my SCARS, I have the most valuable gift that is LIFE…I shall live it because I have a GREATER PURPOSE!

Be of Courage…the love, worth and purpose you seek is within you!

I choose to be a Victor!

Yours, tmaripe

Thabile Maripe is the founder & director of RedApple Planners & Coordinators


MORE PICTURES

Addressing the packed St. Michael's High School hall

A section of the audience listening attentively

How beautiful is their innocence! Let's all protect the girl child.

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