Some childhood escapes require passports and carefully planned itineraries. Phindile Myeza’s began when the routines of Eshowe fell behind and her family arrived at her grandparents’ home in the middle of nowhere.

Life there ran on a different timetable. There were gardens to tend, livestock to look after and things baking in the kitchen. Picnics happened beside a wide river, while the woods supplied trees to climb and all the entertainment a child could need. After a dip in the river, Phindile and the other children would let the sunshine do the work of a towel. They were simple days, and she still suspects they may have been better than many of the comforts available now.

Her name provides a fitting refrain for her story. The isiZulu root -phinde means to repeat or do again, while Phindile is commonly associated with the idea of something happening again. Her own life keeps returning to a familiar set of essentials. Family. Trust. Honest work. Growth. The kinds of things that may not always make a great deal of noise, but tend to hold everything else together.

Phindile grew up in a warm household with her parents and siblings. Her parents supported their children without trying to control every decision, and when something went wrong, they did not reach immediately for harsh words. They listened, encouraged and allowed their children to learn. That trust carried responsibility with it. Phindile and her siblings understood that the freedom they were given was something to respect rather than test at every available opportunity.

It is an approach that has followed her into working life. Administration depends on trust too. The work often happens quietly, but an organisation cannot serve its members properly unless information reaches the right person, processes remain on course and the many details behind the visible legal work are handled with care.

Phindile joined CEO because she wanted something different from her previous position. What she found was a positive working culture and a role that has allowed her to take on greater responsibility, develop new skills and learn about areas beyond her own department. She is motivated by fresh challenges and the sense that she is still growing rather than simply repeating the same day.

That matters in an organisation created to help employers deal with a legal environment that can quickly become difficult to navigate. Many employers do not have the time or specialist knowledge to manage complex labour matters unaided. The officials representing them need reliable administrative support around their work, and Phindile contributes to the structure that allows CEO to respond professionally.

Her colleagues may initially meet someone fairly reserved. Phindile does not feel the need to share every thought with everyone she meets. Give her a little time, however, and the jokes begin to surface. She may not be the loudest person in the room, but she is perfectly capable of slipping in a comment that catches everyone by surprise. Reserved, in her case, should not be mistaken for solemn.

That quieter nature also comes with a strong appetite for learning. Phindile wants to keep developing her skills, broaden her experience and remain open to new challenges. She does not view growth as a dramatic reinvention. It is something built through the next responsibility, the next useful lesson and the decision to become a little better at the work than she was before.

Away from the office, her daughter is the fixed point around which everything else revolves. Family time remains her favourite way to spend her days off, a continuation of the close relationships that shaped her own upbringing. Her vision for the future is not based on spectacle. She wants a life she can be proud of, genuine happiness and fulfilment, and the ability to be honest and kind not only towards others but also towards herself.

There are a few modern additions to the simple country picture. Phindile currently enjoys Black Mirror, which is a wonderfully ominous choice for someone whose happiest childhood memories involve escaping screens altogether. A plate of pasta is also welcome, although it may struggle to compete with food baked at her grandparents’ home and eaten after a day beside the river.

The setting of her life may have changed. The riverbanks have been replaced by offices, responsibilities and the steady demands of supporting an organisation with members across South Africa. Yet the direction remains familiar. Keep learning. Look after the people who matter. Do work that can be respected. Find happiness in things that are real rather than merely impressive.

Perhaps returning does not always mean going backwards. Sometimes it means carrying the best parts of where you began into every place you go next.