Paulina Malulu: Miss Namibia 2013

FLYING SOLO OK, so here I am, 24 and single. You name that bad break-up; I have probably been through it more than once. So despite all the short-term and long-term goals I have career wise, I always seem to be good at attracting the wrong men into my life. And so here I was, jumping from one relationship to the next without even allowing myself some room to breathe. Why? Well, probably, because I thought I needed a man to complete me. Imagine, just a man. Not even a God-fearing man. Eto, I was definitely deurmekaar. And so I finally gathered enough courage to accept that I needed an internal facelift that would spring-clean my love life. Shiri, if only I had known sooner that it was less expensive than buying Brazilian hair. I started going to church in the hope of rekindling my God-fearing and spiritual self. I began to evaluate my past relationships one after the other. And what I discovered was not pleasant. It was not the ex who did not love me. No, I did not love myself. I was not taking care of my heart. I needed to learn to love myself. Like real love. The kind of love that you appreciate only when you accept that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that you are a work of art. Forget about Leonardo Da Vinci’s’ paintings. I had to realise that I am far greater and that I am a living and breathing woman with a whole lot of love to give, starting with myself. I had to pass my own art course; a course that would allow me to understand my own worth. I am talking royalty here. Royalty that does not allow me to get caught up in things that do not uplift me. “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies” - Proverbs 31:10 KJV A virtuous woman is one of principled character. Her heart, spirit and head are together. She keeps herself closely guarded and never freely tosses her heart around in the hopes of someone catching it. This woman of great character has a special charm of contentment and is not afraid to fly solo. And when she does find a co-pilot, he is rightly qualified to fill the seat beside hers.