For the month of February, IOL is inviting our readers to tell us who they love and why to stand a chance of winning amazing prizes in our #MyHeart competition.
Our next winner is Elise, who submitted the following entry.
My heart belongs to my bedroom.
I met my husband when I was 17. We grew up together as a couple and we became one. We could look at each other and know what the one is thinking without saying anything. We were married for 26 years before he was diagnosed with gliobastoma. This came as a shock to us because he was the healthiest person we knew, never took any medication in his life and was all about fitness,
Since he was diagnosed and his health deteriorated rapidly we (the two of us) spent endless days together in our bedroom. We talked for hours and hours when he was able to talk. The bedroom became our sanctuary, our time alone together. There were very few things he loved in life and bedding was one of it. He loved white quality bedding (he used to say, like the hotels),
He passed away one year after being diagnosed. We had 26 happy years of married life, two beautiful daughters and yet the last year was the most precious.
I had to get rid of all our bedding, most of his clothes and lost a few of his possessions because of break-ins (crime).
He's gone, my daughters live in their own little worlds and I live mine in my room. Recently my daughter told me my room is depressing and I need to do something about it since I spend all my free time in my room.
Writing this made me realise why I've been spending time in my room and brought tears to my eyes and heart. I miss him everyday, very much and although he'll never come back, it reminds me of a special time in my life.
My room is now my sanctuary, it's a place where my heart is and forever will be.
Elise
How to enter our #MyHeart competition:
Tell us who you love and why. The IOL team is passionate about news for the heart of South Africa and we want to hear about who holds your heart. Whether it's the love of your life, your BFF, 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.
If you are our pick for the best story of the day, you will win one of our amazing prizes and be entered into the grand prize draw.
So send an email to [email protected] telling us your #MyHeart story.
You can also DM us on Facebook or Twitter, or tag us on Instagram.
Or download our app on Android or IOS and use our MOJO feature to send us your entry.
TIP: The more words the better, and if you have pics and videos, you can send that too.
The competition runs from February 1 to 28.
Winners will be notified by March 1.
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. The winners' names will be published on our website and social media pages.
Your privacy is important to us. When you enter a competition with us, we ask for your name, email address and mobile number. We use email addresses to notify winners to let them know they have won a prize. We use the mobile numbers provided in order to contact the winner and for prize delivery.
The competition is only open to people residing in South Africa.
Employees of Independent Media, the sponsors & their agents, or any company associated with the competition & their immediate families are not eligible to enter. • Prizes are not redeemable for cash. • The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. • Receipt of entries will not be acknowledged. • The entrant accepts that entry to the competition does not constitute a contract or any form of legal commitment between the entrant and IOL.