From heartfelt motherhood stories to life-changing runs, we catch up with two inspiring women whose words are touching lives, one page at a time.
Bernadine Lightfoot
What if the thing that changes your life isn’t some grand plan, a life coach, or a perfectly curated self-help guide? What if it’s simply putting one foot in front of the other? That’s the question at the heart of author Bernadine Lightfoot’s latest novel, just RUN!, a reimagined and expanded English version of her much-loved Afrikaans novel, HOL!. When readers first met Bernadine through HOL!, she was a debut author nervously sending her manuscript into the world and hoping people would connect with the story.
Looking back, one moment stands out above all the rest. “A reader tracked down my number to tell me the book had inspired her to start running.”
That wasn’t the only message that stayed with her. One of her favourite pieces of feedback came from a 57-year-old man who went searching for her after reading HOL! to share some news … he’d transformed his garage into a gym complete with a treadmill.
“The funny thing is that the book was written for teenagers,” she laughs. “Yet most of the feedback has come from grown ups. I’m hoping just RUN! will change that.”
For Bernadine, that’s what the story has always been about. Not running, necessarily, but possibility. “I wanted to write the book I wish I’d had as a teenager. For years I assumed running was something other people did. Fit people, sporty people, confident people. Once I realised how wrong I was, I wanted young readers to discover that too.”
At the centre of the story is Evie, a witty, determined teenager who is far more courageous than she realises. Bernadine describes her as funny, unselfish and refreshingly honest.
“I thought I was writing a shy, vulnerable girl, but she kept surprising me. Underneath all that self-doubt was courage a mile wide.”
While many readers assume just RUN! is simply an English translation of HOL!, Bernadine says that’s only part of the story. She never quite felt finished with Zach and Evie’s journey, and the new version gave her the opportunity to revisit beloved characters, explore deeper emotional storylines and write entirely new chapters. In many ways, she says, this is the book she always wanted to write. Running remains the heartbeat of the story, but not because it’s about sport.
“It’s a vehicle for change. It changes how you see yourself and what you believe you’re capable of.” It’s also a lesson she’s carried into her own life. Whether writing books, raising a family or tackling life’s inevitable challenges, resilience has become her guiding word.
“The older I get, the more I realise that resilience matters more than motivation.” When she’s not writing, Bernadine’s imagination is usually plotting her next adventure.
“In my head, I’m travelling the world. In reality, I’m usually with my family, out running, or dreaming about that adventure that ends in a tiny Mexican village with a frozen margarita.”
Right now, Bernadine’s translating Keerpunt, the Afrikaans sequel to HOL!, into English. Like just RUN!, it’s a deeper version of the story, with a fair bit from Zach’s point of view.
“I’m also working on a novel about a single mother raising a gifted child, weaving together romance, trail running, and the unique realities of life with a gifted kid. As for what she’d tell her teenage self? “Write, run, and be almost fearless.”
Simple advice perhaps. But then again, sometimes the smallest step is the one that changes everything.
ABOUT JUST RUN!:
Evie desperately needs a change. She’s overweight, friendless, and hiding a secret she’d rather forget. After one humiliating encounter with school heartthrob Joshua, she does the unthinkable … she starts running. What begins as an act of desperation soon becomes something more. Then there’s Zach, Joshua’s older brother. Moody, ambitious and determined to keep his distance. As Evie starts discovering her strength, the past she
thought she’d buried begins catching up with her. The paperback is available for R260
from bookstores including Exclusive Books and directly from Naledi.co.za. The e-book is
available from Amazon.com for R170.
Daniëlla van Heerden
Ifyou’ve ever packed school lunches while searching for a missing shoe, reheated the same cup of coffee three times, and wondered if everyone else has parenting figured out except you, Daniëlla van Heerden would like you to know one thing … you’re not alone.
The journalist, communicator, speaker, interviewer, author and mom of two has built a career around stories. But these days, it’s motherhood that shapes her world the most.
“Every other role is important and fulfilling, but motherhood influences how I see the world, the decisions I make, and even the stories I choose to tell.” In the Van Heerden household, days move quickly – shaped by school runs, work, after-school activities and the familiar
chaos of everyday family life.
Ask her husband, Cornél, to describe her, and you’ll likely hear words like driven, organised and passionate. He’d also probably add that sitting still is not exactly her natural state.
“I’m always busy with a new project,” she laughs.
One of those projects is her book Die Hart van ’n Ma, inspired by her popular podcast ’n Ma & ’n Mikrofoon. The idea was born in an unexpected season of life. Her first daughter,
Simoné, was born on the very day South Africa went into lockdown in 2020.
Like many new moms at the time, Daniëlla found herself isolated and searching for honest, relatable conversations around motherhood. So she started recording them. What followed was a series of deeply human conversations with mothers from all walks of life, stories filled with joy, fear, resilience and grace.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that there is no single right way to be a mother. Every family is different, and every mother is doing the best she can with what she has.”
Some stories stayed with her long after the microphone was switched off. One in particular is her conversation with Charlotte van der Westhuizen, who lost her three children in a
tragic family murder.
“It remains one of the most heartbreaking and inspiring interviews I’ve ever done,” she says quietly. Through all these conversations, Daniëlla has also learned something deeply personal about herself.
“Simoné and Leilana have taught me that I am far more resilient than I realised. They’ve also taught me to slow down, be present and find joy in the small everyday moments.”
They’ve also shifted her idea of perfection entirely. “My girls don’t need a perfect mom; they need a present one. Sometimes good enough is exactly what your family needs.”
When life gets overwhelming, she finds her reset in simple rituals – a workout at the gym, a good book, or a coffee and a laugh with her husband on the stoep. And when asked what advice she’d give a first-time mom feeling completely overwhelmed, her answer comes without hesitation: “Ask for help, accept help, and remember that you don’t have to do everything perfectly. One day at a time is enough.”
While Die Hart van ’n Ma is now out in the world, she’s already onto her next chapter … a children’s alphabet book that will be in print later this year. As for this season of life?
“Full(filling)! In every sense of the word.”
ABOUT DIE HART VAN ‘N MA:
Inspired by more than 100 episodes of her popular podcast, ‘n Ma & ‘n Mikrofoon, Die Hart van ‘n Ma brings together heartfelt, honest and inspiring stories from mothers across South Africa. From first pregnancies and newborn chaos to the challenges of raising teenagers and the emotions of an empty nest, it explores every stage of the parenting journey. You will read parenting stories from well-known mothers, including actresses Simoné Pretorius and Lindie Strydom, and politician Helen Zille, as well as lesser-known but equally remarkable women. These include Tina van Deventer, a mother of 12 children, Tarryn Bell,
who cares for terminally ill children and Shani Little, a mother who refused to let blindness
or breast cancer define her. This collection is the perfect gift to any friend or mother who just needs the reminder: You are not alone. Get your copy from naledi.co.za for R275.
Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG
