A tribute to the wise words of Joost van der Westhuizen

For those of you who aren't keen rugby fans the name Joost van der Westhuizen might not mean very much, but for me he is a truly inspirational man. In his youth he played rugby union for South Africa however in 2011 he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis which is a form of motor neuron disease. With this he was told that he had 2 to 5 years left to live. 
Joost van der Westhuizen


Much can be said for the assets you gain off the pitch from being a competitive sports man or woman. You find it easier to be focused and determined, you have an intrinsic desire to do well and succeed. There is a fight which exists inside you and Joost van der Westhuizen is a prime example of this. Before the England vs New Zealand game last week an interview with him was shown which honestly brought me to tears. He spoke so calmly about how he was fighting his disease and how he knew he would never beat it but he wanted it to be a good fight while it lasted. His illness is clear to see as he is bound to a wheel chair and although he can still talk it is more of a whisper which had to be subtitled on the television. Yet when he uttered one particular sentence it was obvious that he was thinking more clearly and profoundly than some of us ever will. He said there are two things which we take for granted in life and it is that of time and health. He said, I have neither but I am appreciating the time and health that is left. 

For me these words hit home very hard as at times I am very guilty of worrying about things which essentially are so trivial. There are many things in life I should be thankful for but these are the things you forget. 

It also made me think about ways in which you can enhance your life while you still have time and health. Of course you cannot go on holidays constantly, or enjoy the finer things in life in pursuit of enjoying every second of everyday. But you can make the most of what you have. Every day you must eat, you must stop what you are doing and refuel yourself. So why not share the occasion with friends? Use it as a way to sit with your family and really talk to each other. Give a loved one the gift of cooking for them and doing the washing up too so they can enjoy some of their time when they usually aren't able to. I think Joost would be so happy to hear that even in the smallest ways his words had inspired others to make the most of their time. Food is so much more than just the ingredients and meal times are about so much more than just eating. Use your time wisely and enjoy your meal times, after all you couldn't live without them!