Today on Winnie Mandela drive

The lights are out at each intersection because of loadshedding

Going home can take me 45 minutes instead of my usual 20 minute commute

There’s a lot going on – people are handing out flyers and beggars are directing traffic to keep the flow moving while increasing their odds of a donation

Leading up to Christmas, and with our unemployment rate, who can blame them

There’s a cold front in Gauteng and rain is pouring down steadily. It’s bitterly cold for December.

A man with glowing skin and a toothy grin, and respectably long dreadlocks is doing a well rehearsed dance with a small crate

He is so present, skilful, and to end his skit, he animates driving a car with it

I’m so moved by how brilliant he is that I bring my hands to my mouth, as if to gasp

He catches this out of the corner of his eye

He finishes his piece and I clap for him, and shrug to sign my apologies for not carrying cash

He was so touched at my bravo that it nearly brought me to tears

He thanks me with a returned sign gesture and gives me the biggest, most authentic smile I’ve seen in ages

This man is dancing in the pouring rain, and my tiny gesture seemed to mean more than any note could

This is the very same road another beggar dipped his hand into my cracked window to try steal my phone in my lap just earlier this year

Life is beautiful when it comes full circle in small moments like this

Life is beautiful when we realise the world isn’t ugly, and people aren’t bad

This the very same area a girl was brutally attacked and murdered on her morning run on Sunday morning

Life is beautiful right here, right now

Life is hard, but it is so, so beautiful – and no one said it would be easy (nor fair)