“She’s here! She’s there! She’s well known everywhere! Lee-Lee-Lee! My reflection you will shortly see. Oh gosh, what a day hey! I’m not complaining though because in the end, I get to do what I love, I get to live the dream of all dreams! Oh yes, I breathe performing arts and from that I definitely will not part.

“It goes back to one-ninety-ninety-seven the sixteenth of January in Steve Biko hospital, a baby girl was born. I remember that day like it was yesterday.”

Lee used to say she can’t remember exactly the first thing she saw because her eyes were still closed. All she could remember was the first thing she had in her mouth. It was very soft and out of it came something warm, in a liquid form, which filled her tummy so much that she fell asleep after she drank it. Another thing was her smell, oh her smell! She couldn’t make out what exactly this smell is, but it smelled amazing. When she got that scent, her tummy was full and she had those warm hands around her little body, she was happy.

That little girl started to grow, she had all the love and happiness that she could ever need. Before she could even walk, she could dance. While babies her age were mumbling ‘Momma’ and ‘Dada’, she could say the alphabet, she could write her name backwards. Man, this little girl was a true story teller.

She lived with both of her parents until one day, mommy and daddy were quarreling and them boom, an enormous fight broke out. She just sat one side and cried her heart out. Daddy then picked her up and told her that he loved her and everything will be OK. He then packed his bags and left. She still got to spend time with both her parents.

As time went by she grew into what she called “a big girl now” because she finally finished primary school. It was up, up and away for her to head to high school. Oh yes! High school! The place every grade seven learner feared because a month ago they were the oldest, now all of sudden they were the youngest.

Everybody was stressed, everyone except Lee. She was super excited because she knew that she had only had five years left of school. After that what was left for her was to spread her wings and fly high up in the sky. To show everyone that she was the world’s best creative writer and public speaker and oh, how can I forget…the world’s best performing artist. “The fabulous Lee, performing arts jack of all trades” minus the singing though.

It was two thousand and twelve and she was in grade nine, the arts festival was coming up! Lee was super motivated to not just do what she loves most, but to also show everybody what she is made of. She went on, got an instrumental and wrote killer lyrics… It was a sunny Friday at Hoërskool Silverton, it was ‘D-day’.

She was on stage with two of best friends by her side, David and Ellen. They believed in her more than anyone ever could, they were her biggest supporters. Together they made magic. But as always, there was a group of students who felt so bad about themselves they had to make fun of not only her, but some of the other participants too, just so they would feel better about themselves.

While everybody cried thinking about the bad remarks the other students gave them, she kept her head up and couldn’t feel more proud of herself. She knew that day they saw the amount of work she has done. When she was up there in the big leagues they were going to pee their pants with their heads down, wishing they had treated her better. They will wish they could turn back the time. She didn’t win but she had more fight in her, now more than ever.

She loved dancing but unfortunately she accidentally broke her left hip. She could no longer dance and was in a wheel chair. It killed her, so she gave up on herself and all of her dreams. She eventually went back to school and her social life got worse. Those who called themselves friends couldn’t even push her, not even to the school gate. So she called her father and he picked her up.

She cried saying “Daddy I never want to go to school anymore.” It broke his heart but he kept on telling her that everything happens for a reason, she should keep her head up and know that he loves her. She prayed day in and day out, asking God, why me? She spent her days thinking what had she done so bad to be punished so hard.

She had a lot of time in her hands. It made her realise that her situation could have been worse so she decided enough was enough! She started rehabilitating herself and eventually she was out of the wheel chair. She used crutches but eventually could walk by herself. She started depending on her other talents which were everything besides dancing. She entered public speaking competitions and won each and every time. She finished high school and things were looking up.

Her parents couldn’t afford university tuition but she didn’t give up. She kept on praying as she entered writing competitions and endless auditions. She came to the realisation of our troubled world, especially our youth, so she decided to use her talents to help our troubled youth.

Just when things were looking up, daddy passed away. She made a promise that no matter what she would make a success of herself and at the same time, make the world a better place. She got an Arts and Culture Administration Learnership and finally got a role in a roadshow with the National Youth Development Outreach.

Years passed but she kept on pushing. It was 2044 and yes, like Lee always said, she’d make a success out of herself and make the world a better place. Today she owns her own performing arts school. Less crime took place, teenage pregnancy has decreased and the unemployment percentage has decreased immensely.

Today she owns her own television channel together with her performing arts school all around the world. She has built rehabilitation centers and orphanages around the world. She is here! She is there! She is well known everywhere!