It sounds dramatic but the fall from grace is very real. Thabo Mbeki, Robert Downing Jnr, George Best are some of the larger than life celebrities to have fallen from grace with the world watching in disbelief. Mbeki was recalled as the President of South Africa just months before his term came to an end. Now mostly known for his portrayal of billionaire superhero Tony Stark, Downing Jnr almost fell into obscurity following his addiction problem. George Best, one of the most talented footballers of all time, died almost penniless as his career spun out of control due to his alchohol abuse. But this phenomenon doesnt just affect celebrities and politicians, it affects almost all of us. In the townships, we’ve seen people seemingly make it only to be thumped back to the ground by a hush reality. We talk about, maybe even laugh about it especially if the person was arrogant about their success. From Citi Golf to Range Rover Sport to no car at all. Or worse still, from glamourous wedding to divorce and debt. Its weird how we are all on our high horses when its some else falling from grace. We agree behind their backs that they deserved this fate, that they didnt give you a ride in that Range on that rainy day or that she broke someone else’s heart just to be with a wealthy man. But we do it behind their backs because we dont know the full story, we havent heard their version of events, we speculate based on what we think is most feasible. The truth is that maybe you didnt get a ride because he didnt even see you in the first place or maybe she left him because he changed after the marriage and she didnt care about the money. We could argue that their fall from gace was their own doing but really, it is none of our business until they make it our business by asking for help. But most of all, we should never be blind to the fact that the same could happen to us. And when it is our turn to fall from grace (and this will happen in some form and at some point) we must remember why. It could be a lesson that you need to get your life to the next level or just God humbling you. Either way, this is a great time to reflect, grow, recharge and attack success from a different angle.
Writer: Katlego Modipane