This February, IOL is spreading the love with our #MyHeart competition where we are asking readers to send a shout out to their loved ones to stand a chance of winning some amazing prizes.
Here's one of our winning entries from Vivia Grobbelaar, who has won a mixed case of Rhino Tears Wine.
My shout out will definitely go to my " buurtannie " Hannetjie Marais.
Five years back they moved from the farm to the town because they were to old to handle the farm anymore and due to safety reasons. Since the day that we met, I remember it so vividly, they just opened their hearts and arms for me.
I knocked at the back door, and she came to open it. I greeted and she invited me into the kitchen. She and her husband, Oupa Piet, just sat down to have a piece of bread and coffee. I greeted him, and they both invited me to join them. I just had coffee, and we chatted. From there on I was like a child to them. Never was I not offered food or a drink, Sundays became braaidag with them. Oupa has passed away, but Ouma is still there....
She will make me food when she knows I have travelled from far coming home late on a Friday evening. She will even freeze my favorites for me and always spoil me with a marrow bone she kept for me.
Her heart is so full of love that I myself don't always know what to do to show my appreciation towards her. She is always the same, showering everybody with love and spoiling them with her bakes. She is a very good baker, and there is nothing that she cannot do.
This will be a privilege to give to her and show her my appreciation. I don't know if she really know how much I appreciate her? Sometimes it feels as if nothing that I do, is really enough, because of her heartfelt generosity towards me. She always will listen to my problems, and if I am upset, she will just leave me, until she knows I am calmed and then she would talk to me and give me solutions, or if I am wrong in a case, she will just tell me what she thinks and say it without scolding or letting me feel bad about it! It's as if she just understands, and know how to handle me... in the best possible way.
I love her so much, and if I win, I would like to show her the words that I have written for her. Hopefully that will make up for the feeling not to be able to actually show her how much I do appreciate everything she is doing for me? I just love her, even words is not enough to express how much I do care about her. She deserve all the love everyone can give to her.
Vivia Grobbelaar
How to enter IOL's #MyHeart competition:
Send an email to [email protected] with a shout out to a very special someone in your life (minimum 150 words). Or send us a message or a video via Whatsapp to 0745573535.
Whether it's the love of your life, your BFF, your dog, your cat, your mom, your boss or your second-removed cousin on your grandmother's side, we want to know why you appreciate them so much.
You can also DM us on Facebook or Twitter, or tag us on Instagram.
Winners of this prize will be notified by March 6.
Winners will be notified by email or phone, so please send us your contact details with your entry.
Competition Rules:
- Selected story entries, pictures and videos will be published on iol.co.za and our social media pages.
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The winners' names will be published on our website and social media pages.
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Competitions are only open to people residing in South Africa.
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Employees of Independent Media, the sponsors & their agents, or any company associated with the competition & their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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Prizes are not redeemable for cash.
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The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
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Receipt of entries will not be acknowledged.
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The entrant accepts that entry to the competition does not constitute a contract or any form of legal commitment between the entrant and IOL.