An Ordinary Beautiful Life

Thank you Justine & Michael 💚

Wrinkles, lines, scars - there are many ways that time leaves its mark on our bodies. Yet mainstream culture dreads getting older - we are urged to fight the ageing process, and many feel pressure to lie about their age. But as Betty Friedan famously said: "Ageing is not 'lost youth' but a new stage of opportunity and strength."

With age can come confidence, and freedom to realize who we really are. As we age, we grow into a deeper kind of beauty, one which works its way from the inside out. It’s a more authentic beauty because it radiates from within. So let’s celebrate lives well lived. And feel lucky to wake each morning to appreciate what the new day has to offer.

Filmed in McGregor, South Africa.
Featuring Annie Norgarb.

All of our films are made possible through the generous support of our patrons.

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Who is Reflections of Life? We are Justine and Michael (previously known as Green Renaissance). We use our passion for filmmaking and our love of storytelling, to remind our audience of one simple truth – that we are all human. The more that we understand and believe in this interconnectedness, the more we will treat ourselves, one another, and planet earth with a greater sense of compassion.

Editing - by Jackie Viviers
Sound mix - by Tamryn Breakey

Completion (Reworked) - by Christopher Galovan
Bloom Again - by We Dream Of Eden
Sleep Soon - by The David Roy Collective
Plead Pause - by Dear Gravity

A huge thank you to these guys, who so generously gave of their to time to help with language translations:
Arabic - by Mohammad Alkhudhair
Catalan - by Pau Zabaleta
Chinese - by Loretta Jiayi Mao
Croatian - by Davor Bobanac
Czech - by Pavla Látalová
English - by Justine du Toit
French - by Amélie Macoin
German - by Tanja Pütz
Greek - by Angeliki Papadimitriou
Hindi - by Parul Sharma
Indonesian - by Ary Nuansa
Italian - by Vincenzo Mocerino
Khmer - by Measraksmey Bou
Korean - by Chloe Park
Persian - by Mona Zadsham
Polish - by Anna Konieczna
Portuguese - by Jonatha Koeller
Romanian - by Nelia Stoyanova
Russian - by Nelia Stoyanova
Slovak - by Zuzana Beratsova
Slovenian - by Jasmina Kovačič
Turkish - by Ahsen Aygören
Vietnamese - by Thi Le

[kristinLB]

I want to surround myself with people like her. Deep and thoughtful people. Society is not for me.

[heyitsme]

I felt that “ i am not a somebody, i am a being exploring and exploring is more important than “the i””

[sofiagerman]

I'm a doctor, cardiologist, so I do understand, how simply our life short can be, when everyday you see somebody's life passing away. It's so important to appreciate our life, that most of us have two arms and legs, we woke up today being healthy in our mind, but most of the time we just live in future, waiting something better comes to our life, but honestly LIFE IS THE BIGGEST GIFT!

[kalipress]

Her descriptions of her day, her garden, her cats are a meditation symphony.

[SharonM]

Wow!!! I felt this in my soul. At 74 it was nice to hear that she does not count the days left but enjoys every day in the now. I think everyone in their 70s and 80s think about how long we have left and this has put a wonderful perspective on that. I feel honored to be growing older. Even with the aches and pains my heart is still beating 🥰 God bless everyone.

[coolwater]

Great line. "Everything you do is for yourself and there isn't one!"

[bevklayman]

Everything in your video is perfect. I am 73, wrinkled and gimpy, and I agree with you 100%. I just want to add that for animals, food IS love. It is not separate. We easily forget that as humans we have free access to food most of the time, anywhere, any kind. Animals never know if or when their next meal will come, even pets. And they are grateful when it appears. This is love.

[vindiya]

The way she changed death into becoming a butterfly, the amount of depth in her perception is divine 😌

[irgg]

Какая приятная женщина! У меня бабушка тоже такая, ей простые вещи доставляли удовольствие. Она вставала в 5 утра, шла готовить, гладить бельё. Днём в огороде занималась растениями. Когда я подходила, она всегда мне давала понюхать свежевыглаженое бельё, попробовать морковку или помидорку. А самое лучшее-это была баня по субботам. Бабушка заваривала свежий чай, потом мы парились, тёрлись грубой мочалкой, потом порка вениками, контрастный душ и домой, пить чай. Зимой мороз стоял -30, она меня закутывала в сто одёжек и я быстро по сугробам бежала домой под светом луны. Так здорово! Я к сожалению не умею так радоваться домашним делам как она это делает

[denisecostaon]

I am “ in awe” !!!! This is majestic !!!! I want, if possible, that my appreciation can reach each and everyone who were involved in the process of the making of this gem !!!! I appreciate and profoundly love each shot, every second if the magic testimonial and its astonishingly beautiful illustrations through lighting, framing, sound, editing … everything, EVERYTHING is just crafted to perfection !!! A work of love, about the most meaningful beauty about humanity and about the magic of moving pictures It’s a “ capolavoro” as italians would say !!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🇮🇹🇧🇷❤️🤲🏻

[thatcanadiangrandma]

" What can i hear, what can i see, what can i feel today?" That one phrase will help me in times of depression, and every other day when I wake up and feel like there's nothing for me. Chronic mental illness has its challenges and one of them is to get a sense of meaning about our existence, something not too complicated that you can repeat every day, something that involves what you have to give, and what you can receive. Her words are so palpable, i can see myself asking those questions and find beauty in my days. Winters are especially hard with suicidal ideation, all the darkness, the season lasts for several long months here, you feel trapped. This is my new mantra as i'm turning 50 very soon. Thank you for the gift of words. I might not have her cheerful spirit, but, i could carry a bit of her with me.

[MrTheLionKing]

I'm a college teacher and my students are going to be watching this with me next time we have class. This is a powerful statement on what it really means to be alive, what this mindboggling experience really comes down to... not chasing anything outside of ourselves but just getting to know the body and the spirit we are born in and with.

Annie has an art of expressing herself. Such poetry left me welling up with tears.

Thank you to the filmmakers for making this. The world needs you.

[ninasoloff]

Wow, that last line just burst me into tears. She definitely has a beautiful pattern on her already 🦋

[Valerie-gnrr]

"The acceptance of liviing" She said it all in one sentence.

[directionofease]

“It accepts what it is.” “You have to go back to that indigenous feeling of observing how beautiful the world is as it is.”

[lauriejerome]

What a blessing. There is no self. Being a part of the whole is freedom. It is awesome. It is joy. Thank you

[kathywhipp]

“…it’s not enough to BE yourself as it is to KNOW yourself..”.
This video is such an absolutely beautiful, simple yet luxurious lesson in living well. I embrace it whole heartedly!

[donalpaccio]

I find older people have so much calm and comfort to offer. I absolutely love it! I guess it comes from the life experience.

[paulinawaas]

"whatever it is... it is to fully appreciate what is left" How lovely and how much wisdom on her living...
I am so grateful from these videos!

[forestgreen]

" what can i see, what can i smell, what can i hear "