Celebrating Women: Lynn Brown shows us learning is a lifelong journey

I love being surrounded by positive people, energising souls that do not allow others to determine their destiny for them. Lynn Brown, my colleague, is one of those young women that you want  around when life's dark moments can become overwhelming. You see, if you are one of those superficial people who make quick judgements about others, based purely on your own outlook on life, you may never get to see the deeper layers of young women like Lynn.

The future school counsellor or perhaps the private psychologist some day?
Dynamite package
I suppose to the more conservative eye, Lynn may be too much of a free spirit; too daring at times in terms of dress and attitude, the murmurs sometimes go. But, that's the superficial stuff. I wonder how many people have engaged this fun-loving, gorgeous woman? Besides having a full-time day job and being a single mom of a super young lad, Lynn has been studying part-time to become a teacher for a while now. She tells me she has almost completed her teacher's training, but she has set her goals higher.

Lynn and her gorgeous son
"I'd like to do my honours in psychology because I want to become a school counsellor," says Lynn. "I studied teaching because that is part of my dad's dream for us to have something to 'fall back' on. I enjoy the teaching but I see myself as a school counsellor."

How's that for spunk, for focus? How many of our young adults, especially as young mothers, have such drive to continue pursuing their dreams?

Solid family support

Lynn makes good conversation. Our chat rambles on as she switches from English to Afrikaans and often peppers the sentences with typical Cape Flats lingo. She tells me she comes from a large family - eight children - and her Dad is their hero. Her mother succumbed to an aggressive cancer at a young age, says Lynn, but they have come to terms with that. Often Lynn says, they laugh when their father reminds them that their mother used to tell him she will leave him with enough love and family to stave the loneliness and the longing when she is no longer there. While Lynn is talking with such acceptance and gaeity, I laugh along, but I have to block a naughty tear that wants to threaten our wonderful communion.
Lynn ( second from left) and her siblings posing here with their superhero dad.

The Brown family commemmorates their mother's life every year during the month of her passing. Each year the family goes on a breakaway to different places to re-energise themselves, build their spirits and pay homage to their mother who was whisked away from them. Now, says Lynn, her dad fulfills both parent roles,always surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

And this we learn too...

What a wonderful testimony Lynn is. Despite her youth she has already experienced so many trials in life and yet there is no bitterness or regret. She has taken her life lessons in her stride and I am sure she is using all those experiences to help her realise all her dreams systematically, purposefully.  I just see a young, beautiful woman who is destined for greatness.

Continue pushing ahead, Lynn. You serve as a good model for many of us who see only the half-filled glass.And to your Dad: he has indeed been chosen to be the earthly father of all of you because there is rarely this depth of commitment and outpouring of love from many a father towards far fewer kids than his eight.

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