Is fear taking hold of SA?
Today whilst watching a certain TV show/documentary that takes a look at the icons of ou times I was given something to think about. The person whose life they were looking at was that of Author and poet Dr Maya Angelou. A young comedian was asking her how it is that she was not angry. He was asking this because Maya Angelou was in the generation that fought for equal rights for the African Ameicans and in this fight she had lost friends (among them Martin Luther King who was assassinated). She replied by saying that anger is within us all but you dance that anger, you write it, you dance it, protest it...
Well looking at the person she is and her contribution to her country and the rest of the world she trully shows that anger can and should be channelled into something worthwhile.
Our generation, I think, is not angry but angry and fearful. And I say this is how WE feel because this is how I feel. I am because we are, we are because I am.
Anger and fear are my haeviest burdens. I am angry at HIV and it's effects - it has no compassion. It leaves children orphaned, it leaves behind widows and widowers, many parents have had to suffer the pain of burying a child. I am angry at HIV because of it I now fear taking a chance on love. I am angered by the high rate of unemployment which has given birth to poverty and inequality. It has intimidated me so much so that I have lost the will to pursue the dreams and aspirations I had in my youth. If I can barely afford to make rent, what makes me think that someday I will become a successful author and public speaker? The statistics tell me to face the reality that I won't one of the lucky who realise their dreams. I am angry about the high incidents of crime, especially rape, I now fear bringing children into this world.
I am not going to sit and surrender to these fears and issues that anger me. I will write and protest them and hopefully like the generation of Maya Angelou my efforts will bring about some change to the world I live in.
I won't fool myself and say it (fear and anger) has disappeared but I will point at it - a blog, a voice for a just cause or time spent working in the community. Incase you didn't know, anger vented and fear conquered can take a beautiful form. Come on SA dance it away, sing it away, protest it away, speak it away - it's possible.
Monday, 25 February 2013
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
The most important '"f words"
Three "f words", I am sure you are all thinking of the vulgar "f words'. No - it's none of those words, so get your minf out of the gutter.
These three words are the ones we really cannot do without and the moment they are not in our lives - we sure do miss them.
The three words are Family, Friends and Fun. We all need to interact with family, friends or have some fun to get through the day. Without at least one of these in a particular day then it wont be a fulfulling day.
We have all have days when we are feeling down and just a call from a friend or family member can cheer us up. For example, I am a 25 year old female who is single and unemplyed. Though this is a rather tough phase to go through, my three "f words"fill my life with joy.
Sometimes I dont even feel like getting out of bed in the morning but just hearing my mom's voice and knowing that she genuinely cares about sigle, unemployed me is just the energy-boost I need to keep going. Looking at photos of my nieces and nephews keeps the temptation of depression away.
On days when the family "f word" won't do the trick of cheering me up then I know that all I need do is dial-a-buddy. My awesome friends are the people I know I can call on to cry when I feel hurt or down for whatever reason. These are the people who tell me I am beautiful even though the tears have caused my eyeliner to run and I have boogers in my nose from crying so long. Some days we find joy in watching a movie or having ice-cream. Somedays it's dogging out an ex-boyfriend.
The best days though are when we dress up and paint the town all shades of red. Dancing until the clubs close, doing the get-down until our feet can't take it anymore, laughing at men's lousy pick-up lines - oh what FUN.
The "f words"we need in life are not limited to these but these three: Family, Friends and Fun are the most important to me. Just having an encounter with one of these moments is great but having all three of them wrapped into one moment is AWESOME.
These three words are the ones we really cannot do without and the moment they are not in our lives - we sure do miss them.
The three words are Family, Friends and Fun. We all need to interact with family, friends or have some fun to get through the day. Without at least one of these in a particular day then it wont be a fulfulling day.
We have all have days when we are feeling down and just a call from a friend or family member can cheer us up. For example, I am a 25 year old female who is single and unemplyed. Though this is a rather tough phase to go through, my three "f words"fill my life with joy.
Sometimes I dont even feel like getting out of bed in the morning but just hearing my mom's voice and knowing that she genuinely cares about sigle, unemployed me is just the energy-boost I need to keep going. Looking at photos of my nieces and nephews keeps the temptation of depression away.
On days when the family "f word" won't do the trick of cheering me up then I know that all I need do is dial-a-buddy. My awesome friends are the people I know I can call on to cry when I feel hurt or down for whatever reason. These are the people who tell me I am beautiful even though the tears have caused my eyeliner to run and I have boogers in my nose from crying so long. Some days we find joy in watching a movie or having ice-cream. Somedays it's dogging out an ex-boyfriend.
The best days though are when we dress up and paint the town all shades of red. Dancing until the clubs close, doing the get-down until our feet can't take it anymore, laughing at men's lousy pick-up lines - oh what FUN.
The "f words"we need in life are not limited to these but these three: Family, Friends and Fun are the most important to me. Just having an encounter with one of these moments is great but having all three of them wrapped into one moment is AWESOME.
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