A Bitter Reminder

Nadi

I was quite disappointed to read the article in the Fiji Sun (21/11) about Sitiveni Rabuka, who has handled himself with great dignity during the entire campaign just as a true leader should.

The article was callous, insensitive and uncalled for.

It is not professional journalism to throw salt over wounds and bring up old hurtful memories and the media needs to be quite aware of this and exercise greater responsibility as it has the power to impact our thinking.

Now that the election is over, it’s time to heal our spirits and not let old wounds fester. The election brought out some of the worst of Fijian society, exposing the racism, sexism and xenophobia that persist despite our country’s advances.

It pitted religious groups against one another, despite daily reminders that we are all Fijians.

A transition into healing and reconciliation must start immediately. We should embark on a spiritual recovery now that the election is over:

Healing after such a bitter election season must begin at home and with the media. Now is the time to apologise for hurtful remarks and acknowledge that some elections can be more acrimonious and frustrating than others, but it is no excuse not to treat others with the same respect we all want and deserve. Over the course of the campaign, some candidates made derogatory comments about women, Muslims, and other marginalised groups.

We live in an increasingly pluralistic society knowing and encountering people from very different backgrounds. We must make the effort to reach out.

It’s all too easy to stay in our personal bubbles and either love or judge others from afar. But the Christian teaching to “love your neighbor as yourself” takes some actual effort. And it’s crucial now after an election that pitted Fijians against one another.

We should be willing to forgive our former opponents. Authentic faith also reminds us of the importance of humility and not assuming that one party or one tradition possesses all truth. Gratitude is a practice embedded in most faith-based traditions and has deep healing power. If you’re still boiling from some of the things that went down during this election, let gratitude be a cooling balm.

There are many ways to develop a regular practice of gratitude, but an easy way to start is by jotting down three things you’re grateful for in your life. Spending time in the great outdoors has been shown to dramatically reduce stress and improve a person’s mood. And who couldn’t use a break from social media for a bit? Give yourself the gift of spending some quality time with nature, without the phone or laptop. Go for a hike. Jump in the ocean. Cleanse yourself however you need to in nature’s healing essence. Remember that we’re just one small part of a vast universe.

The issues we face are immense, but in some ways they’re also microscopic. For the scientifically-minded, remember that Earth and all normal, observable matter make up less than five per cent of the universe.

For those with deeply held religious convictions, there is a God, or Great Spirit, or a universal power watching over us.

Now that the Election is over, it’s time to heal our spirits. In either case, there’s a bigger picture to keep in mind — and it’s up to us to make our little patch of the universe a better place. And the media can do a great deal to help.