There is something almost ironic about living in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, yet after a while, we start taking it for granted.
The mountains become part of the daily commute and the novelty of the beaches wear off. The sunsets? Just another sunset. We become so familiar with our surroundings that we forget people travel thousands of kilometres, save for years and spend fortunes just to experience what many South Africans see every day.
And then someone like Shannon Elizabeth comes along to remind us. The American Pie actress recently shared a heartfelt Instagram post celebrating South Africa, calling it “one of my favourite places” and describing it as somewhere that instantly makes her slow down, breathe a little deeper and appreciate just how beautiful the country truly is. But she didn’t stop there. She went on to say, “South Africa has changed my life in so many ways. It has challenged me, inspired me, broken my heart at times, and filled it in ways I never expected. I honestly can’t imagine my life without it now.”
Shannon Elizabeth has travelled the world and has made a powerful statement about South Africa. It fills me with pride to know that of all the places she could have chosen, she chose South Africa. You will notice that the post below shows a backdrop of lush greenery, calm water and towering mountains glowing beneath a spectacular sunset. Looks like a postcard right? The beauty of it is that is all real. No filters can create scenery like that.
We spend so much time worrying about load shedding, traffic, rising costs, crime and the endless cycle of bad news that we forget to appreciate the extraordinary beauty surrounding us.
In simple terms we take our surroundings for granted. But the truth of the matter is that one day we might wake up and find that those places that we thought we would visit “one day” just ain’t there anymore. Ask international visitors what they remember most about South Africa and they rarely mention shopping malls or fancy hotels. Instead, they talk about the warmth and friendliness of the people. The amazing wildlife or how standing on a beach where two oceans meet is absolutely breathtaking. For others it was watching the sun disappear behind Table Mountain, the drive through Mpumalanga, hiking in the Drakensberg, exploring the Wild Coast or losing track of time in the bush while elephants wander past, that made their stay memorable. The fact of the matter is that moments like those stay with people for longer than we would like to think.
Elizabeth’s post captures something many locals have forgotten. She doesn’t talk about ticking tourist attractions off a list. She talks about how South Africa makes her feel. It slows her down, makes her breathe differently, and reminds her to appreciate the world around her. When was the last time we let our own country do that for us? Beauty isn’t only found in places we’ve never been. Sometimes it’s right on our doorstep just waiting to be noticed. Yes, overseas trips can be incredible. But we don’t always have to look miles across the globe to find incredible places. Maybe we simply need to look up from our phones during the next sunset. Take a drive we haven’t taken in years or spend a weekend exploring somewhere that’s been sitting on our own bucket list all along.
It often takes an outsider to point out what we’ve become blind to. Shannon Elizabeth sees South Africa as magical.
Perhaps it’s time the rest of us started seeing it that way again.
