ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Time to reflect and be thankful
REFLECTING on the year 2021, one thing stands out: the tenacity of the human spirit amidst the horrors meted out by the unrelenting pandemic.
Voice Woman went into the streets of Gaborone to find out what - despite the countless challenges that the year brought – Batswana are grateful for, reminding all and sundry to count their blessings.
Thato Peloewetse, 34, Mogobane
It’s been a long, frightful year. We lost so many people, my closest relative being my grandmother died from Covid. She was 90 years old but it was cut too short because she was still very fit. She did her own cooking, washing; she was not in any way incapacitated. However, one good thing to come out of this year is that there was so much good energy from family; it was evident that I had a proper support structure. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 10 years, this was the hardest year businesswise and my family was my source of strength; just that reassurance one needs to hear, that everything will be OK. At some point I feared that I’d lose my car and house because I was uncertain about the future. Things were looking grim that I even begun job-hunting. If it weren’t for family, I wouldn’t have pulled through. I was on the brink of depression, but my family gave me hope. Now, we’re closer, more than ever before. I love my family for that; Kudos to 2021!
Mmapula Dithabeng, 36, Molepolole
One of the valuable lessons I’ve learnt is to never boast about tomorrow (James 4:13-17) out of every bad situation comes something good. The season we are in calls for introspection. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; we need to come closer to God. Friendship with Jesus is all we need in this chaotic life; there is a need for adjustments. We need to let go of the old ways and embrace some changes. If you are told to stay home, see it as an opportunity to bond with your family. We have technology to check on our dear friends and family. If churches are closed, then start praying and worshiping at home. All in all, hold dearly unto your faith, the storm shall pass.
Notwithstanding loss of life, expenses for funeral arrangements were reasonably cut. Covid protocols imposed by government have forced us to do away with many traditions, which were viewed as superspreaders. That funeral wakes were limited to only 2 hours and cooking was banned saved grieving families further financial stress. The same applies for weddings. I believe it’s something we should continue doing beyond the pandemic. I feel when the numbers are restricted, we should give family priority to bond and forgive each other, it is very important.
I wish you a happy Xmas and a blessed 2022!
Janet Julius, 37, Maitengwe
Obviously the pandemic was brutal, I lost P27 000 in April this year when I fell ill with flu and thought it was Covid. All of the perishables I couldn’t sell because I was feeling poorly had gone off by the time I recovered. I’m into cross border trade; I source nuts, sweet potato and mangoes in Zambia and, as you can see, when there are delays at the border due to movement protocols, I end up with spoiled goods. But I’m adaptable and not given to throwing my hands up in the air. I am thankful that though I lost so much money, I was able to recover it all through hard work and resilience; I even managed to buy myself this car. 2021 was good in that regard. Batswana must learn to remain optimistic; when you fall, get back up, dust yourself off and start all over again!
Fatimah Moeti, 13, Tonota
I’ve learned a lot about myself this year. Lockdowns brought families together and I’ve learnt to value family more. I also made new friends. 2021 was challenging and a test of bravery because I was exposed to the hardships older people faced and how they overcame them. Spending more time with my elders has taught me that in spite of the adversity, one has to push and despite losing a lot of schooling time, I managed to end the year on a high note; I got an A! I go to Nanogang JSS and our break times were cut short to make up for lost time to cover the syllabus. Nanogang is a good and enjoyable school.
Sasha Durac, 14, Serbia
There were a lot of challenges but since I’m an introvert, I stayed home a lot and I must say I enjoyed that. A lot of events and activities were suspended, like Taekwondo; I don’t like it because it’s a contact sport but I just did it; I wasn’t into it in the first place. My studies were affected at the beginning, I was behind a bit but by the end of the year, I was actually better than I was before. My grades are good; I go to Westwood.
Aisha Ngwako, 14, Gaborone
I attend Kingswood College in Grahamstown, South Africa. This year was really eventful; between the abrupt lockdowns and travel bans, there was so much frustration as there were times I wasn’t sure I’d be able to travel back to school. Though my studies were thrown into disarray, I learnt to work harder and had to adapt to a new normal. At the beginning of the year, I struggled a bit but I improved. I’m also grateful that I made a lot of new friends who helped me through the tough times.