It was after writing a tribute for his cousin’s funeral earlier this year that former East London school principal Roy Young decided to publish a book.
Titled A Helping Hand, the book is an anthology of 73 poems and 84 original quotes. Of the poems, 44 are in English and 29 in Afrikaans. Themes include friendship, respect, loss, love and lessons on drug use, with titles like Never Give Up, Making A Difference, Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Winning Ways.
Young – a former teacher of 22 years who went on to become headmaster at Buffalo Flats’ Aspiranza Primary School – said inspiration for the poems came about because of the values, norms and principles he felt were absent within society.
Putting pen to paper, the first-time author, who retired from teaching in 2000, said he began working on the contents of the book in January and completed it in August.
“When I discovered that I could gather my thoughts the way I did, I just knew that I had the ability to write,” Young said.
“I’ve experienced my fair share of good and bad in life and have learnt valuable life lessons from these experiences.
“We look after our own interests and that of our families to such an extent that we do not reach out to others in need.
“To fill this void, I have written motivational poems and quotes about lifeskills, norms, values and principles as well as the need to lend a helping hand to others. This book is about appreciating and living a purpose-driven life,” he said, adding that material things are not what life was about. “People should look to influence others positively and not to take life for granted.”
Young was one of the stalwarts of the Saints FC, a club which dominated the football scene for decades. The talented player, one of the finest wingers on the Border, represented the province in the national interprovincial tournament during a period when Border was at the height of its power against the top provinces during the 1970s and 80s.
After his footballing career, he was a key member of the Buffalo City Municipality’s 2010 World Cup legacy project.
According to Young, in order to successfully write a book, one needs first of all to believe in oneself.
“You also need to have a passionare love for reading and writing,” he said, explaining that his decision to self-publish was because he wanted the book out as a matter of urgency.
“Some publishers, I believe, make one wait for years before they regard your writings as worthy of being published, and being a disadvantaged author I did not want to run the risk of not having my book published.
“The book is intended for bookshops, but also for companies to buy and donate to their employees or underprivileged schools.”
The book is available direct from Young for R180. E-mail him on rodgeryoung08@gmail.com. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Former principal uses his poetry to help inspire
Titled A Helping Hand, the book is an anthology of 73 poems and 84 original quotes. Of the poems, 44 are in English and 29 in Afrikaans. Themes include friendship, respect, loss, love and lessons on drug use, with titles like Never Give Up, Making A Difference, Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Winning Ways.
Young – a former teacher of 22 years who went on to become headmaster at Buffalo Flats’ Aspiranza Primary School – said inspiration for the poems came about because of the values, norms and principles he felt were absent within society.
Putting pen to paper, the first-time author, who retired from teaching in 2000, said he began working on the contents of the book in January and completed it in August.
“When I discovered that I could gather my thoughts the way I did, I just knew that I had the ability to write,” Young said.
“I’ve experienced my fair share of good and bad in life and have learnt valuable life lessons from these experiences.
“We look after our own interests and that of our families to such an extent that we do not reach out to others in need.
“To fill this void, I have written motivational poems and quotes about lifeskills, norms, values and principles as well as the need to lend a helping hand to others. This book is about appreciating and living a purpose-driven life,” he said, adding that material things are not what life was about. “People should look to influence others positively and not to take life for granted.”
Young was one of the stalwarts of the Saints FC, a club which dominated the football scene for decades. The talented player, one of the finest wingers on the Border, represented the province in the national interprovincial tournament during a period when Border was at the height of its power against the top provinces during the 1970s and 80s.
After his footballing career, he was a key member of the Buffalo City Municipality’s 2010 World Cup legacy project.
According to Young, in order to successfully write a book, one needs first of all to believe in oneself.
“You also need to have a passionare love for reading and writing,” he said, explaining that his decision to self-publish was because he wanted the book out as a matter of urgency.
“Some publishers, I believe, make one wait for years before they regard your writings as worthy of being published, and being a disadvantaged author I did not want to run the risk of not having my book published.
“The book is intended for bookshops, but also for companies to buy and donate to their employees or underprivileged schools.”
The book is available direct from Young for R180. E-mail him on rodgeryoung08@gmail.com. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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