Look at person, not party
I’M IN VENT mode today.
Maybe it’s because I’m tired of driving on roads that make me feel like I live in a rural area, or I’m tired of having no water and longing for a hot shower when I get home from work – which is sometimes not possible even if there is water because the pressure is too low, so I have to resort to a bucket bath!
I’m tired of the crime. I’m tired of people not accepting responsibility for what they do or fail to do.
I’m tired of having to fight for services which are my basic right, and for which I still pay but do not receive.
I’m tired of being ignored or treated like I don’t matter.
I’m tired of seeing sick, old people carrying heavy buckets of water and yet they have taps that work, but are dry.
I’m tired of seeing people in rural areas still living in the same conditions they did eight years ago.
I’m tired of seeing innocent lives lost, criminals not held accountable and not receiving the punishment they deserve.
I’m tired of seeing people robbed of the things they worked so hard for their entire lives.
I’m tired of seeing people benefit from my sweat, blood and tears when they have no right to.
I’m tired of seeing the homeless on our streets, the sick and dying who have no access to medical resources or are mistreated when attempting to get medical help.
I’m tired of seeing people who have studied and have degrees or experience and can’t get jobs because either there aren’t any or they’re not the right skin colour. And there’s so much more… I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of it all!
And the saddest part is that we have no one to blame but ourselves.
We’ve made the same mistake generation after generation. We’ve placed our trust in people and organisations based on misinformation.
We never bothered to scratch beneath the surface. We have been gullible fools, easily influenced by lies and empty promises and manipulation.
And today, this is the result. Decades of wrong choices have led our beautiful country to the crumbling mess it has become.
Every one of us has played a role in this, either by a thought or action, be it racist, violent, inconsiderate or selfish, or by not doing anything, by not speaking up, by being tolerant and even impatient in some instances, by turning a blind eye to someone in need, turning a deaf ear to someone crying out for help, walking away from instances where our involvement could have brought about positive change.
Why? Because maybe we were angry, didn’t care, were too busy, didn’t want the responsibility, I don’t know.
We’re all guilty in one way or the other.
And if you’re honest enough with yourself, you’ll agree that what I’m saying is the truth. So today, here we are. A country that’s in a mess: crumbling economy, people who think it’s okay to take someone else’s life because they have a difference of opinion or they have something you want, people walking around with so much anger and hatred.
Others think that it’s okay to make a living off others’ labour, and there’s more, so much more!
The burning question is, how do we change this?
How do we create a country filled with promise and hope and benefit for all, equally? Who do we trust? How do we trust? What do we do? I find myself with this dilemma.
Elections are coming up and I thought I knew who I was voting for.
But the sequence of events leading up to this day have left me feeling confused, angry and even desperate.
Desperate for change, for a better town, a better country, a better quality of life and a better future.
Are we even going to be able to come back from all this: to recover as a country?
Will we ever be able to look at the next person as another human and not classify them into groups based on the colour of their skin?
Will we ever be able to trust one another – something that is so important if we want unity? How can we be united if we don’t trust each other?
Mistrust
And then I find myself trying to find the source of this mistrust and unfortunately it leads back to the days when I wasn’t even in existence.
But that brings about another thought…
We’re where we are today because people don’t want to forgive, or have forgotten how to.
They don’t want to love, or have forgotten how to.
They don’t want to let go, or they refuse to.
And I ask myself, what good has hatred, unforgiveness and holding on to the past done for us all?
My answer is clear. Nothing! Nothing at all.
All it’s done is torn us all apart and caused division to such an extent that I’m now beginning to wonder if there is hope for this beautiful country any more.
But I choose to still be hopeful.
I choose to try to make a difference, to cause change to happen, no matter how little and futile it may seem.
I choose to change my thought pattern and to stand up for what I believe in and fight for what is right in a non-violent way, even if I’m standing alone.
And then I imagine what it would be like if everyone of us began to think this way.
If everyone of us concentrated on ourselves, our thoughts, our actions and tried to become a better person, and be good and do good and do more.
And what if we all started practising these thought patterns and actions?
One by one, slowly we would cause the environment around us to change – one positive thought at a time, one good deed at a time, one human being at a time.
Now picture this having a ripple effect.
You’re wrong if you think your actions and deeds can’t make a difference or bring about positive change.
As you touch a life and change it for the better, you inspire that person to do the same.
You begin to set a positive example for the people around you to change. You and you alone.
Pretty soon, it will all add up.
It can become a reality, but it’s going to take a commitment from all of us to keep trying no matter how difficult things may get.
I believe things can change for the better, if we all find God and try and imitate everything He stands for… wisdom, patience, empathy, humbleness, generosity, kindness, compassion, peace, forgiveness, hope, faith, honesty and integrity and the greatest of them all… LOVE!
And you know what: I take a look at all the politicians around me and the candidates canvassing for my vote, and I’m yet to find one that encapsulates all of the above, or even a few.
My dilemma still exists. Who do I vote for? Who do I trust?
I can’t answer that question, but I can suggest that when making your choice, look at the individual and not the party.
Look for someone who has the qualities listed above.
Look for someone who has not been made bitter by the events of the past and who has let go of the past, who is willing to do whatever it takes to create a brighter future.
Look for someone who has integrity and a backbone, who isn’t selfish, who uses wisdom when making decisions, who knows God and fears and respects him.
That’s who you should vote for. Whoever he/she may be. If they actually exist.
Just me sharing my thoughts with you, trying to make sense of it all…