Life Is What You Make of It

By M.J. Letshwene

A true story of a woman who is cursed by her own mother. Luckily for her the curse turned into blessings. Her father abandoned her while her mom was expecting her. By the age of six, she was already aware that she was her moms enemy number one. However. Her moms hatred kept her motivated and dedicated to work hard in order to achieve her goals. She realized that no matter what the challenge, everyone has the ability to turn her life around and become a winner.

Why did her mom hate her so much? And how did she become a teacher under such circumstances?

Find out in Life is what you make of it.

Excellent for motivating people that if one door closes, another one opens. A great book for everyone to remind them that tough time never last.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Feb 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456865665

M.J. Letshwene

Jacobine Letshwene was born thirty-eight years ago in Bethanie (Brits) on 21 November 1976. She is married to Godfrey Letshwene, and they are blessed with two boys, Katlego and Rekopantswe, and three girls Reatlegile, Oreatlile, and Promise. Her father is Moruti Freddy Nyathela, and her mom is Bertha Segoati. She studied National Diploma Education Commerce in Tshwane Universities of Technology (TUT) from 1995 to 1997. She started teaching from 1998. She furthered her studies with University of South Africa (UNISA) and received her bachelor’s degree in education management in 2005. She then received her bachelor’s degree in education management in 2009. She received her master’s degree in curriculum studies in 2015. She loves music because it gives her an intense feeling that everything will be all right. Going to church and listening to Bible verses inspired her to write this book. She realized that most people do not have time to read the Bible. She also discovered that those who read the bible do so selectively. She believes that she has been truly blessed. This book is a way of thanking The Almighty for all the blessings.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Take Responsibility for Your Own Actions

It was in 1973 when a twenty-one-year-old teacher fell in love and got pregnant with her very first baby girl. According to my view, she couldn’t resist the charm of another man and fell pregnant again with her second and the last baby girl (me) on a one-night stand.

When the first man realised that she was pregnant again, he never wanted to see her ever. That was the end of the so-called man of her dream. My father also disappeared from the scene after he found out that my mother was pregnant. What a disaster!

I guess she hated me from the very same moment and blamed me for the break-ups. Somehow I believe I look like my father because it seems every time she looks at me, she sees him. I am a constant reminder of the mistake she made thirty-three years back.

The big question is, why did she sleep with another man knowing that she loved the other one? Why didn’t she use contraceptives? Why didn’t she do abortion or, even better, why not accept the pain and move on?

Why should I pay the price for something that happened before I was even born? Does that man worth more than her own flesh and blood? She carried me for nine months; surely that should mean something to her.

It is very clear that boys or men only want sex from a lady, nothing more and nothing less. Men and responsibility don’t mix. But today, I want to challenge all men to start taking responsibility for their own children.

If you think you might have a child somewhere, please make an effort to look for him or her. Your child might need you more than you realise. If you don’t love the mother any more, just remember that the child is an innocent soul.

I believe that if my father was there for me, my life could have been better. I wouldn’t have suffered the way I did because I could have had a shoulder to cry on. I suffered for thirty-three years, and it still hurts me even today not knowing why my mother hates me so much.

Remember, it is not up to the mother to decide whether or not you should have a relationship with your child; it is the child’s constitutional right to know his or her father. Please, fathers, don’t deprive us that.

Sometimes I wished to ask her questions, but the tears got the better of me. I also know for the fact that she will swear at me. I wish to know how my father looks like, where I come from, my culture, my roots, and if I have siblings.

Remember, for every action there is a reaction.

Chapter 2

Blessing in Disguise

When I was about six years old, she used to say that I was a snake and that she doesn’t like me and wishes that I could kill myself. Because I was young and naive, I managed to block them out of my mind or maybe I didn’t want to believe what my ears told me.

As time went by, I realised that it was different when it came