In die geesteskliniek, was die wande wit en koud.

In the psychiatric clinic, the walls were white and cold.

Maar daar was 'n ligstraal van hoop.

But there was a ray of hope.

Elize van der Merwe staar uit die venster.

Elize van der Merwe stared out the window.

Die winterson was flou, maar dit het nog lig gemaak.

The winter sun was faint, but it still gave light.

Sy dink aan hoe alles so donker voel binne-in haar.

She thought about how everything felt so dark inside her.

Dr. Pieter Coetzee, haar psigiater, sit langs haar.

Dr. Pieter Coetzee, her psychiatrist, sat next to her.

"Hoe voel jy vandag, Elize?" vra hy sag.

"How are you feeling today, Elize?" he asked gently.

"Ek weet nie," fluister sy.

"I don't know," she whispered.

"Alles voel net swaar."

"Everything just feels heavy."

Elize was in haar vroeë dertigerjare en intelligent.

Elize was in her early thirties and intelligent.

Maar haar gedagtes en gevoelens het haar oorweldig soos 'n groot golf.

But her thoughts and feelings overwhelmed her like a big wave.

Sy voel soos sy verdrink.

She felt like she was drowning.

Sy worstel met angs en depressie.

She struggled with anxiety and depression.

En sy voel vêr van haar familie en van haarself.

And she felt far from her family and from herself.

Haar broer, Jonathan, het haar probeer help.

Her brother, Jonathan, had tried to help her.

Maar sy het hom dikwels weggestoot.

But she often pushed him away.

Sy was bang om hom teleur te stel.

She was afraid of disappointing him.

"Dit is goed om jou gevoelens te erken," sê Dr. Coetzee.

"It's good to acknowledge your feelings," said Dr. Coetzee.

"Dit is die eerste stap."

"It's the first step."

Dit was Nelson Mandela Dag.

It was Nelson Mandela Day.

Die kliniek het plakkate van Mandela en sy aanhalings opgehang.

The clinic had put up posters of Mandela and his quotes.

"Dit is ons lig, nie ons donker wat ons bang maak," lees een van die plakkate.

"It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us," read one of the posters.

Elize kon nie meer saamstem nie.

Elize couldn't agree more.

Tog voel sy ver van daardie lig.

Yet she felt far from that light.

"Ek wil verstaan hoekom ek so voel," sê Elize.

"I want to understand why I feel this way," said Elize.

"Ek wil beter en gelukkiger wees."

"I want to be better and happier."

"Jy moet die oorsaak vind," sê Dr. Coetzee.

"You need to find the cause," said Dr. Coetzee.

"Ons sal dieper delf.

"We will delve deeper.

Vertrou die proses."

Trust the process."

Elize hou van hierdie persuasie, maar sy vind dit moeilik om oop te maak.

Elize liked this reassurance, but she found it difficult to open up.

"Dit is moeilik," sê sy.

"It's hard," she said.

"My familie het soveel verwagtinge.

"My family has so many expectations.

Ek voel altyd dat ek hulle teleurstel."

I always feel like I'm letting them down."

Op Mandela Dag, het Dr. Coetzee voorgestel dat hulle oor haar kinderjare praat.

On Mandela Day, Dr. Coetzee suggested that they talk about her childhood.

Elize was huiwerig.

Elize was hesitant.

Maar sy besluit om 'n kans te waag.

But she decided to take a chance.

"Ek onthou," begin Elize, "daar was hierdie een keer toe ek en Jonathan geskeel het oor iets.

"I remember," Elize began, "there was this one time when Jonathan and I had an argument about something.

Ek was so kwaad, ek het hom geslaan.

I was so angry, I hit him.

My ouers het my geskree.

My parents yelled at me.

Ek het gevoel soos 'n mislukking."

I felt like a failure."

Dr. Coetzee knik.

Dr. Coetzee nodded.

"Miskien het daardie gebeurtenis jou gevoel van waarde aangesien beïnvloed," sê hy.

"Maybe that event influenced your sense of self-worth," he said.

"Het jy dit ooit met Jonathan bespreek?"

"Have you ever discussed it with Jonathan?"

Elize skud haar kop.

Elize shook her head.

"Ons het nooit weer daaroor gepraat nie."

"We never talked about it again."

"Dit is tyd om dit aan te pak," sê Dr. Coetzee.

"It's time to address it," said Dr. Coetzee.

"Miskien kan jy met Jonathan praat."

"Maybe you can talk to Jonathan."

Elize dink lank en diep.

Elize thought long and hard.

Ná die sessie besluit sy om vir Jonathan te bel.

After the session, she decided to call Jonathan.

Sy vertel hom alles.

She told him everything.

Haar angs, haar skuldgevoelens, haar herinneringe.

Her anxiety, her guilt, her memories.

Jonathan luister geduldig.

Jonathan listened patiently.

"Ek onthou daardie dag," sê hy.

"I remember that day," he said.

"Ek het jou nooit die skuld gegee nie.

"I never blamed you.

Ek het jou altyd verstaan."

I always understood you."

Trane begin by Elize se oë afrol.

Tears began to roll down Elize's cheeks.

"Ek is jammer," sê sy.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Ek wil herstel."

"I want to heal."

Jonathan antwoord saggies.

Jonathan answered softly.

"Ek is hier vir jou, Elize."

"I'm here for you, Elize."

In daardie oomblik, vind Elize 'n klein ligstraal van hoop.

In that moment, Elize found a small ray of hope.

Sy weet dit gaan 'n lang pad wees, maar sy voel 'n gewig van haar skouers oplig.

She knew it was going to be a long journey, but she felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

"Ek sal voortgaan met die terapie," sê Elize.

"I will continue with the therapy," said Elize.

"Ek sal werk aan myself, en ek sal vertrou."

"I will work on myself, and I will trust."

Die verhaal eindig met Elize wat klein, positiewe stappe neem na haar herstel.

The story ends with Elize taking small, positive steps towards her recovery.

Sy voel meer hoopvol, meer vasberade.

She feels more hopeful, more determined.

En sy weet dat sy nie alleen is nie.

And she knows that she is not alone.

Sy besef die krag van haar eie lig en die liefde van haar familie.

She realizes the power of her own light and the love of her family.