Some of you may have noticed I went quiet. And by “quiet,” I don’t mean I took a peaceful social media break to meditate, drink herbal tea, and become one of those people who says things like, “I’m protecting my energy.” No. I vanished. Like I had either been abducted by aliens, lost a fight with fibre internet, or my wife finally buried me in the backyard after one too many “just one more gym video” conversations. Good news: I was not abducted. Also good news: my wife has not buried me. Yet. The short version is this: I have been busy trying not to become a framed photograph. The longer version is funnier. Six months of health problems eventually turned into one night at Pearly Beach, one very angry heart, one Subaru driven like a stolen rally car, an ambulance over the mountain, three stents, five days in ICU, and a hospital gown clearly designed by someone with unresolved issues. But here is the part that matters: Blood flow went from about 15% to 100%. I am still here. A little more metal inside. A little less nonsense. A lot more grateful. No pity needed. Just come watch the comeback.
A Bench Between Two Men – Episode 2
Two men. One bench. One conversation that shouldn’t have happened — but did. He had a wife. Twin boys. A life that made sense. Now everything he owns fits in a small bag at his feet. A Bench Between Two Men is a series about the conversations men rarely have — and the cost of the decisions they make when no one is watching. Quiet. Uncomfortable. Unavoidable.
When You’re in That Dark Place… Read This Like a Man
Some of you are in a dark place right now… not “I’m stressed” dark. Proper dark. The kind where you go quiet, hope fades, and that heavy ache in your chest becomes unbearable. Men don’t always break loudly. We break in silence. In the car. In the shower. At 2AM staring at the ceiling. And that’s when guys do stupid things… permanent things… not because they’re weak, but because they’ve been carrying too much for too long. I’m not here to give you fluffy advice. I’m here to give you truth. Two ropes saved me more than once: my faith (not sermons… a lifeline) and training hard until life shuts up for an hour. If you’re in that storm right now, don’t isolate. Don’t quit. Grab a rope, my maat… and start climbing.
When the Pain Gets Loud — Please Read This Before You Do Anything
There’s a kind of pain most people never talk about. The kind that makes you wonder if disappearing would be easier than carrying on. This isn’t a motivational post or a lecture — it’s a real conversation about why staying matters, even when life feels unbearable. If the weight feels heavy right now, please read this first.
gertlouw 