Hope, never fear
Positive vibes
BULA readers! This week I thought I would try and give some positive vibes to what seems like a particularly depressing week where deaths and increases in COVID-19 positive cases have made us the highest infected country in the world for our population size. This is indeed a terrible statistic and with social media erupting this week over Fiji’s poor medical infrastructure, weak leadership and no plan going forward, those who are not strong in mind and in spirit, are beginning to feel disillusioned and deflated. Despite the gloom and doom, remember this saying “hope, never fear”. Please stay strong not only for yourself, but for your loved ones. At present I am being inundated with messages from family and friends who are feeling very vulnerable and isolated, but faith and a strong mindset will help get you through this period of time.
Today’s story is a simple one about my father who without knowing it, instilled the understanding of valuing people and also being valued.
I remember watching my father as I was growing up and noticing that he was always happiest when he was asked to help someone or complete a task together with someone. He was never impressed by wealth, power or possessions, but preferred friendship, teamwork, companionship and serving a purpose in life.
I distinctly remember on a particularly beautiful sunny day, one of his friends called Iris coming over and asking my father to look at his car which had a faulty brake bulb and was not lighting up. This task could have been taken care of quite easily, but rather than just telling his friend to purchase a new bulb, my father enjoyed the fact that he was counselled on such a task.
Was this task an important one? It may not have seemed like it, but to my father it meant a matter of safety for his friend, so my father slowly together with his friend Iris took out the light casing and tested the bulb. Unfortunately, the bulb didn’t work, and together they went to source a new bulb worthy of being fitted in his friend’s car. Once they returned, they had a cup of tea together and then proceeded to fix the brake light bulb. My father then checked the bulb very carefully to make sure it was working and slowly fitted the bulb casing back into the car.
After the work was done my father’s friend was so appreciative and valued my father’s help. You could tell their conversation was a very positive one and both were happy and content.
That evening my father was in a joyous mood and that happiness flowed onto all of us as a family. I remember asking him why he was so happy by just fixing a brake bulb and he told me, being valued is a great compliment and whether you fix a car brake bulb or save a life, being valued and having fellowship is good for the mind and soul.
I tell this story as a reminder that valuing people is a wonderful gift you can give to anyone for free costing you nothing, but it can be priceless to the person who is feeling valued.
I urge all of you to value your families, your friends, your neighbours and your fellow citizens as we need to keep cool, calm and collective during this very uncertain time, where people may get sick, and God forbid lives can be lost.
I wish I had some good news to offer you this week, but with limited medical facilities and a lack of planning it would seem our nation is now heading into a very uncertain period of time, which we are certainly not prepared for and also poorly equipped to deal with.
Regardless of this, today I value all our frontline workers who are tired and exhausted from trying to keep the nation safe from this deadly virus, and who are trying desperately to keep the numbers of infections and deaths to a minimal. Please don’t lose hope and keep fighting the good fight.
I also value our hardworking NGOs, who have very limited resources to work with, but regardless of governments criticism continue to help and assist where they can. Our domestic violence incidents are rapidly rising as well as the mental and physical wellbeing of our citizens, but keep going and keep helping as we as a nation need your help and assistance now.
Finally, I want to leave you with a famous saying by Winston Churchill which I dedicate to all the frontliners and NGOs - “never in the history of human conflict, was so much owed, by so many, to so few”.
God bless and be safe.