Every parent wants the very best for their children – and a family situation that thrives in spite of difficult economic and social circumstances. But above all, each child deserves unconditional love – where parents accept, love, and show affection to their children, even when they make mistakes or fall short of expectations. In other words, a form of love with no strings attached.
Barnard Inc Driver, Elias Ringane, experienced this kind of care and affection in spades from his own parents, and it is an unselfish spirit that he pays forward to his own children and family with ease. The circumstances for Elias have never been ideal – indeed, his is the story of many Rainbow Nation citizens. Like many compatriots, he’s found a way to rise above the hardship and build a better life, while never forgetting his foundations.
Elias grew up in the North West Province, in the rural town of Stinkwater. There was no electricity or running water available in his community. “We struggled a lot,” Elias recalls. “It was not easy in those conditions.” To add to the already-handicapped environment, his parents could not read or write as they’d not had an opportunity to attend school. To their credit, they sacrificed everything they could to ensure that Elias and his siblings received a decent education. Dutifully, Elias would have to wake up early each morning to fetch water so that it could be boiled for washing and cooking, before leaving for school. He was able to complete his High School education, but his parents could not afford to send him to university.
While deciding what to do after school, Elias says his father did something remarkable. “He took me to the factory where he worked, welding window and doors frames each day. The working conditions were so tough and harsh,” says Elias. “Then he told me that he wanted me to find a better job so that I could improve my own position. It was his greatest desire.”
Elias began working at a Petrol Station while he plotted his next move – the next opportunity. Eventually, he heard of a position at a local law firm. “Finally, I was able to start providing more for my family, and the working hours allowed me to spend more time with them.” Ultimately, Elias applied for, and was offered, his position at Barnard Inc.
Elias is honest with himself when he looks back on his life. He wishes he’d worked harder at school so that he might have been given an opportunity to study at university – possibly law. And yet, Elias is doing exactly what his parents desired and made possible for him. Now he’s paying it forward to his children. “I try to give them a better education, but I cannot spoil them in the way that I want to, or take them to fancy restaurants.” Elias pauses briefly, then adds; “So I thought to myself – I can give them the gift of time spent together, and unconditional love!” He says he is happiest when he is playing soccer with his son, watching TV with the family or sharing home-cooked meals together. Now that’s real wealth – No Strings Attached!
