Debbie Calitz: Seeing light in the darkest of times
When Debbie Calitz and her partner Bruno Pelizzari set sail from Dar es Salaam in October 2010, they could never have guessed that they would be making a voyage into the depths of hell.
Three days into their journey as crew on board the yacht Choizel, it was captured by Somali pirates who held Debbie and Bruno for ransom. For twenty months the pair lived in dark rooms while they were moved countless times between different locations and captors who subjected them – but especially Debbie – to untold horrors.
This morning Debbie joined The Complimentary Breakfast to share the truths behind her horror story, living in dire straights and darkness and the driving force behind positive attitude.
Time
Performed by Sir Laurence Olivier
Time, a poem performed by Sir Laurence Olivier is what Debbie Calitz clung onto in moments of darkness
Stand before me on the sign of infinity,
all you of the earth.
With the granting of the law of provination
comes the application of change.
I will give you the key.
And with this knowledge, please realise,
comes the responsibility of sharing it.
I will show you the way
.
It's very simple. Throughout the universe
there is order.
In the movement of the planets, in nature
and in the functioning of the human mind.
A mind that is in its natural state of order,
is in harmony with the universe
and such a mind is timeless.
Your life is an expression of your mind.
You are the creator of your own Universe -
For as a human being, you are free to will whatever
state of being you desire through the use of your
thoughts and words.
There is great power there.
It can be a blessing or a curse -
It's entirely up to you.
For the quality of your life is brought about
by the quality of your thinking -
think about that.
Thoughts produce actions -
look at what you're thinking.
See the pettiness and the envy and the greed and the
fear and all the other attitudes that cause
you pain and discomfort.
Realize that the one thing you have absolute
control over is your attitude.
See the effect that it has on those around you.
For each life is linked to all life
and your words carry with them chain reactions
like a stone that is thrown into a pond.
If your thinking is in order,
your words will flow directly from the heart
creating ripples of love.
If you truly want to change your world, my friends,
you must change your thinking.
Reason is your greatest tool,
it creates an atmosphere of understanding,
which leads to caring which is love.
Choose your words with care.
Go forth ... with love.
Debbie Calitz: 20 Months of Hostage Hell
In this compelling book right from the depths of depravity Debbie Calitz reveals the details of their ordeal and their eventual rescue. It is a story of overwhelming courage from a woman who overcame all odds when freedom and dignity were a distant memory.
