The Dominee and the Otter

By Carel Nolte

Dewald Niemandt, the dominee at the church I attend in Joburg, recently crossed my orbit in a couple of non-clerical, but very inspiring ways.

First, he finished the Otter African Trail Run (his first ever trail run) in a little over 8.5 hours. Then, he delivered an extremely inspiring commencement address at the high school he attended back in the day, Hoërskool Florida.

Having delivered the Founders Day address at my own alma mater, St Stithians, in 2000 (you can read the transcript here) I understand the honour and responsibility of the task. Dewald matriculated about 20 years ago and – given his profession and his accumulated wisdom over the years – I was interested to hear that he’d focused on his Otter experience to impart pearls of wisdom to the young ears of the class of 2024 at “Florries”.

I was lucky enough to present Dewald with his medal at the Otter as he crossed the finish line in 8 hours 32 minutes – a real achievement, especially for someone who has never done a trail run before. His wife Doret (who is equally inspiring) finished with him. It was emotional stuff!

As was Dewald’s address at Hoërskool Florida.

He spoke about life as a trail run – how we don’t necessarily need to come first in everything we do, but that we need to define our own success and acknowledge our achievements for what they are.

Here’s an English translation of the address. (Jy kan ‘n transkripsie van die oorspronklike Afrikaanse toespraak hier lees as jy verkies.)

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Achieve your own Otter!

Good morning, matriculants of Florida High School! My name is Dewald, and as a former student, it is a great honour for me to stand before you this morning at this moment of significant change and excitement. Today, I want to share a few thoughts with you about what lies ahead and how to tackle this next step with purpose.

Now, out of respect for you and the hard work you’ve put in over the past five years to earn your qualification, I thought long and hard about what I could share with you today.

Should I stand here and read out a list of rules?

Should I just share a few funny stories with you?

I wondered what you would want to hear, what you might need.

I also thought about what I want to say and what I feel I need to say as someone who sat where you are now, 20 years ago.

So here we go…

I recently completed the Otter 42km trail run –

Now, the Otter… it’s tough.

It’s 42 km of mountains and valleys.

More than 2400m elevation, with various river crossings.

Now, let me confess, I wasn’t a particularly good athlete in school. The term “body like a tapeworm” was once used to describe me by a rugby coach. Here’s the crazy thing: until just over a month ago, I didn’t even know the Otter existed!

My wife, Doret, and I received a last-minute invitation to join the EasyEquities team for the Otter. So, for the first time in the last month, I started trail running.

The Otter was incredibly challenging, and to be honest: I didn’t even come close to winning. I spent 8 hours and 32 minutes on my feet. But do you know what? It was one of the best experiences of my life!

There was a moment, about halfway through the race, where I stood on a high cliff, with the sea crashing against the rocks far below my feet, and the wind blowing through my hair. I stood there for a moment, taking in the beauty, my whole body was already tired, but inside… I was in party mode. And that energy carried me to the finish.

When I was done, I was tired with a capital F… Flipping exhausted… I collapsed on the grass with a beer in my hand, downed it, and grabbed another one… But I was deeply happy… I was so proud of my wife and… of myself.

It was that moment that made me realise: We don’t always have to finish first or be the best to truly experience fulfilment. And I think this adventure is a bit like life. We all run our own races, face our own challenges and set our own goals. But true victory doesn’t come in the form of a trophy or first place – it comes in the journey itself, in the moments when we exceed our own abilities, when we learn to persevere and when we recognise the true value of our goals.

The question is: How do we view our life’s journey? Are we willing to take on the tough paths, not just because we want to win, but because they teach us so much more about who we are?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Now, here’s what I want you to think about. Think about the road ahead, the challenges that will come, and the big dreams that await you. I want you to embrace life fully, but remember that success isn’t just about achieving wealth or status. It’s about who you become in the process.

It’s about those moments when you can stop… and look at the road that brought you here… admire the scenery… and truly feel happy and proud of yourself.

So here are four lessons from an Old Florrie to help reveal life’s possibilities to you.

Lesson 1: Make the tough choices

Let’s start with the idea of choices, big and small, that we make every day. Life isn’t easy. It’s not. Don’t always look for shortcuts. Things won’t always be simple… in fact, it’s the tough choices you should look forward to because when we make difficult choices, it tells us something about who we truly are.

You have to decide who you want to be, what you want to achieve, and what you’re willing to sacrifice to get there.

You may have heard that “easy choices make life harder, but tough choices make life easier.” It sounds strange at first, but just think about it. If you constantly choose the easiest path, the shortcuts and quick fixes, you can find yourself trapped in a corner later, regretting what you didn’t do. But if you make tough choices now – like working hard, learning and following your dreams with dedication – you build a foundation for the future.

Lesson 2: Define your own success

The question you need to ask yourself is: What is success for me? What is your Otter race?

You’ve probably been told all your life that success means achieving wealth or status, but that’s only a small part of it. Success isn’t a destination – it’s a way of living, something you can live out every day in your choices and actions. So, start early in defining success for yourself… don’t let someone else define it for you.

Decide what your own definition of success is. Is it a happy family? Is it making a positive difference in the world? Is it having a job where you can live out your passion? Think deeply about this question because your answer will shape your direction and your dreams.

Think of Ecclesiastes 3:12: “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.”

This book of ancient wisdom has reminded people through the ages that success isn’t just about what you have, but about who you become… about how you touch the lives of others on this journey through the universe on planet Earth.

Lesson 3: Breadcrumbs

Do you remember the story of Hansel and Gretel? The breadcrumbs they left to find their way back? I think we all leave breadcrumbs as we go through life. The breadcrumbs tell the story of the path we’ve walked… the choices we’ve made… the things that brought us to where we are now.

Every day, you get the chance to leave a new breadcrumb. A marker to your past but also to your future. Breadcrumbs are the adventures… the silly things you’ve done… the moments when you were on stage and the moments when you sat in the crowd.

So, make peace with your failures. There’s more to learn from failure than from success.

You will stumble, you will sometimes fall, but it’s not the end. Every obstacle is an opportunity to grow and learn more about yourself.

Live with integrity. Make sure you are genuine, honest, and live each day in a way that you can later say you truly tried… even if things didn’t always work out.

May you look back at such days, such breadcrumbs, and see how far you’ve come… how much you’ve grown.

Lesson 4: Turn the page

Cherish your past… your breadcrumbs… but don’t hold on to them… Turn the page regularly… build new adventures for yourself. Set new goals… new bucket lists. Make new friends… learn new skills and hobbies… Don’t think of yourself 20 years from now as still “the rugby jock… the nerd… the hockey star”… Once you’ve completed a chapter in your life, finish it well and then turn the page. You’re in matric now; I promise you, your best days are not behind you. They’re still ahead.

Philippians 3:13-14: “… I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”

If you’ve failed, turn the page. If you’ve stumbled, get up and try again. Don’t let the past hold you back. Always remember that God gives you a new beginning.

Conclusion and send-off

This journey, matriculants, is just the beginning. Life will bring great challenges, but it will also bring great joy. Stand firm, hold on to your values and remember that your success is in your hands, supported by the hand of God.

Remember, you have a choice: Will you choose the easy path, or the path of character and integrity? Choose to follow the tougher, but more fulfilling road. Strive to be better every day than the day before and live with an open heart.

Go out, be brave, be kind and live with passion. Know that every step you take brings you closer to the destination God has in mind for you. Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams. And remember, success isn’t an endpoint – it’s a journey that begins anew every day.

So, Class of 2024… go live your adventure… leave this great school behind and go achieve your own Otter!

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Wasn’t that inspiring? I love how Dewald combined his wisdom, his faith and his sporting achievement to bring his message home.

Do you have an inspiring personal or professional anecdote to share? I’d love to know all about it! Drop me an email carel@cnandco.com and let’s see how we can tell your story to those who are keen or need to hear it.