As I was thinking what to write on my first blog post I went on a journey of reflection of my SAWIP experience thus far. From the  the super-grueling, yet exciting, selection process to the heartfelt welcome into the SAWIP family with a delicious Elizabeth-cooked dinner in the  Glen Cairn Valley. From crying with laughter upon listening to the most outrageous stories to the formulation of serious core values we are prepared to die for. Remember? The thought that is conceived within my heart is captured in one word: Thankfulness. I have learned so many things and am growing as person in ways I find hard to describe. And the most wonderful thing of all to me is that I’m growing like this because I’m working and communing with an amazing group of people. In some way the sharing of our stories is providing for seeds of life to grow.

It’s an honour and privilege to meet, listen and converse with people such as John Carlin, the Irish Ambassador and Nigel Baley. While in the process of being taught a model of resonant leadership I take time to find out and meditate on what Resonance really means. You all know my home language is Afrikaans and I will never forsake my language but I’m on a quest to improve my English since it could only be beneficial to do so. And my helper is called the Collins Concise Dictionary……..

Resonate- to resound or cause resound (Collins)

Resound- clear and emphatic (Collins)

Then I think of the clip Nigel showed us ofthe world-famous conductor, Herbert von Karajan and the way in which he leads an orchestra with such a sense of gentleness. He is the Leader yet does not make a single sound. See the video again and for those of you who could not make it on Saturday:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oqasTguizM

We all have songs we like to sing. They resound in our hearts and mind, we adapt the words, sounds and motion of it  and joyfully sing along. The challenge that I wish to set before us is the following question: Will our SAWIPian character of solid core values such as Integrity, Selflessness and Open-mindedness resound in the States in such a way that people will pick up its fragrance and adopt it to make it their own? So many times I think of what John Scrimgeour told us: “We as South Africans have a heck of a lot to teach the world.” May we walk our walk with the gentleness and humility of Mr. von Karajan and remind ourselves, daily, that our actions while patriotically doing  ambassadorial service in DC should be in line with the core values that we have uniformly agreed upon in the valleyof Glen Cairn. I stress this, dear friends, because if you follow the latest political hogwash that flow out of the mouths of some of our leaders I am overly convinced, as I stated in my application, that this world is in desperate need of leaders with true humility and integrity.

Will we be that generation of leaders?

God bless

Petrus