Articles Of Hope

ARTICLES OF HOPE

It always amazes me how people adapt to situations in such individual ways. Most people tend to avoid uncomfortable conditions or environments unknown to them. Others seek out the most uncomfortable situations and tackle the ‘understanding’ and adapting head-on. In our daily lives and interactions with various individuals, these personality traits are not constantly apparent but throw a common enemy into the mix and people’s personalities explode in colourful intensity.

Nothing could have prepared the world for the onslaught of our common foe, COVID-19. This fiend did not attack all at once but made its presence known at a slow crawl spreading illness and death with a healthy dose of fear and uncertainty, to not only those infected but everyone who currently bears witness.

Those of us that tend to avoid the unfamiliar, denied its presence and the necessary steps we needed to take, but luckily, there are persons among us that do not shy away from the unknown. They educate, inform and help for others to see. The process of making ‘avoiders’ see is a constant battle in itself and the sad truth is that in the devastating aftermath of this pandemic, there will still be those that have yet to see.

In all honesty, I personally tend to be an 'avoider' and never willingly place myself in uncomfortable situations. I hide behind the fact that I would prefer to solve matters without harshness or violence. I like to think of it as a gentle spirit wrapped in a sharp-edged parcel. Fortunately, I also like to make up my own mind about things, realising that we all operate out of our own perceptions. So, even though I avoid, I keep informed and it helps with the whole bury-your-head-in-the-sand instinct.

This virus has had me in an emotional upheaval, to say the least. The situation is undeniable and avoidance becomes less and less possible. You fear for your loved ones, your livelihood and it is increasingly difficult to find hope in the chaos of everyone’s interpretations. At a time like this, there is one person that can ease the chaos. A Leader. Someone that differentiates between good and evil. Takes action. Gives definitive instruction. Somebody that places ‘saving’ in the hands of the only ONE that SAVES.

As a nation, we have had rare moments of unity in the past year. These moments have sparked glimmers of hope for the possibilities we, as a nation, are moving towards. As a South African, I have never been as hopeful as I was when our President announced a 21-Day Lockdown. I didn’t realise what it was at the time, but my first feeling was overwhelming relief. Relief that we had a leader facing what needed to be done head-on. He placed himself and those that work along with him in uncomfortable situations even before he understood it completely. He gave clear guidelines on how we can adapt to this unknown situation and stand united in fighting evil. And through it all, with a humble spirit, he acknowledged the only saviour.

The stark reality of it is that we are all ‘A leader’. We all have the power to help people see. Avoiders, Risk-takers, Haters, Lovers, and Hopefuls. We all show a part of what it means to act in unity. Let us stand together and aim these wide-ranging traits NOT towards each other, but to the evil that penetrates our minds and infiltrates our words. An evil that reaches much further than the prongs of a virus destroying our most sacred treasures: Life, Hope, Love, and Relationships.

#60daysofhope #acountryunitedagainstevil #stayhomeandstayalive