From Scratch: where do we go from here?

When I heard about this limited series on Netflix, I thought it was another cheesy romantic series and I was not keen on it. The hype on social media got the better part of my curiosity and I made a mental note to watch it when under less stress, so I don’t get irritated by the love scenes or wacky pick-up lines which is the norm in romantic film.

The first 2 episodes had me rolling my eyes many times, I also felt the buildup to their love affair was unrealistic. I am not one to bank on any ‘love at first sight’.

One will think that it was going to be a ‘one for the road’ love affair, and Amahle will return to Texas and move on with her life. I was pleasantly surprised.

This series provoked emotions I did not want to feel or embrace, and like any other meaningful story-telling series, I did not forget to pick up life lessons in the midst of bawling my eyes out.

• Kindness is a weapon too: Living in a world like ours can make you forget that you can also win with kindness. If I am asked to choose between love and kindness, I will always choose kindness because it is unambiguous and brave. Zora showed a great kindness to her sister, and she gave the lovebirds a so0 landing by le1ng them stay in her house until they were stable to get a place. It might look easy to us because they were sisters but I could imagine how uncomfortable it was for her at the time and also having to accept someone she hardly knew into her own space.
• Love makes things whole: What started as a common love story ended up being a ground that festered the re-union of father and son, re-union of families and there was enough room to let friends and well-wishers in who found their place in the world of Lino and Amahle. Love that rebuilds, re-unites, repairs and reveals, that is the love which in itself is whole.
• Family is the centre of everything: The couple had very strong family support and connections. The different families had their own deep understanding of love and how they decided to show it. Lino was from a conservative background, where a father did not have to show weakness to his children, and tough love was the norm. It did not mean he was loved any less than Amahle. This was obvious when Amahle went to Castelleone after her husband died, she felt the love they had for him and the closeness of the community where her husband belonged.
• Time may not wait: Love will not wait for you, this is the biggest revelation I have had so far in life. You cannot put a timeline to when you will show love and affection to anyone because you are not guaranteed of a life with them tomorrow. Lino and Giancomo modelled the relationship I had with my Dad. We were very close, and I remembered once that our closeness was threatened by a major decision I was about to make, which he was not happy with. At a point, we were not speaking to each other and of course, I was set in my own ways. Finally, he gave in to my request with reservations but the relationship between us was edgy. He took ill and had to be admitted in the hospital, it was during this period we became close again. I remembered visiting home and he told me how proud he was of me and how similar our lives were. Two years later, he passed on, and I could not just stop thinking how miserable I would have been if we did not mend our relationship before he died.
• Love the people you have in your life now, just love them anyhow. Make room for what matters. Life can be busy with many distractions, but you can make the most of it. Be intentional, be honest, be willing and most of all, be present.

Just like Lino said to his wife, ‘a love like yours is too beautiful not to be shared’

I hope you are fearless enough to open your heart to be vulnerable to the ones in your life, to show up for them and with them, to laugh and make memories, and not to forget the good times when it gets hard.

This life can be lonely, reach out and build a community through love and kindness, be open to learn and accept the people that life brings your way. Share your heart, your life, and let the depth of your kindness be felt by the people who mean the world to you. You may not make the news tabloid but you will always be carried in the heart of these people and passed down to generations.

Thank you for your life.