13 July 2020
It had just gone 7AM on Saturday morning. My eyes fluttered open and I gazed out of the glass doors that led out to the balcony. The tones of rosy pinks and muted yellows that normally filled the sky, as the sun breached the Eastern horizon, were nowhere to be found. The fiery ball of crimson was fighting a losing battle amidst the thick, dark clouds; dull, dreary weather and not a sound could be heard, no matter how hard I strained my ear.
It seemed like the world had stopped spinning and everything was standing still. Or perhaps, the world was spinning so fast, and I had decided to step out and look at it from the outside? Whatever the case may be, these are scary times that we live in. I sat back and, over a mug of tea, thought about how much our lives had changed over the past 108 days…or was it 107 days? I’ve lost track, with every day merging into the next…days into weeks, and weeks into months.
A world at war against an invisible enemy; an enemy that has wreaked havoc, paralysing the world; an enemy that has brought nations to its knees, crippling their economies and overloading the already burdened health care systems; an enemy that strikes when you least expect it, regardless of who you are or what political or religious beliefs you adhere to… COVID-19 the leveller of 2020!
At first it seemed like something foreign…something happening on another continent, in another hemisphere…and then, it landed here. It stunned us, it scared us, and we went into lockdown (a word we never knew before!). The impact of it still did not hit us immediately…after all, our numbers were low when compared to other countries, other First World countries, at that!
As time moved forward, the numbers rose slowly, and many became a tad bit complacent…a quick dash to a friend’s house (“I’ll be quick! I haven’t seen my friend in ages and we have both been safe” … or so they thought); a stroll in the mall (“nothing will happen, I’ll wear my mask” …famous words that proved to be wrong); and then there were those who had a blatant disregard for rules and regulations (“Oh who cares about this lockdown? We are still having a party!”). Such irresponsible behaviour and the numbers suddenly started to rise… FAST!
Where previously it was something that happened to “other people”, the “other people” became people that someone knew…and then it became people that WE know…COVID numbers became COVID names, and it has stopped being something that happens to other people. It happened, and is happening to people we care about, people we love, people who have been safe but unfortunately ended up being in the presence of people who weren’t!
It is strange how much we had previously taken for granted...our freedom of movement, our jobs, our trips to the mall, coffee with a friend, our visits to the gym! More importantly, we had taken for granted our loved ones who don't live with us. When last did we see them? When do we see them again?
I know that it is difficult, and it is extremely easy for us to fall prey to temptation, but please, let us continue to do our bit and #StayHomeSA! Let us use this time for introspection and reflection as we look to the heavens to guide and protect us. Let us enjoy the sunrise and the sunset, the rain and the chirping of the birds that follows. Let us learn a new skill, try out that new recipe, tidy up that cupboard that we have never gotten around to doing.
Let us help heal the world as we ride out this storm and when things get difficult and our anxiety levels threaten to go through the roof, remember that keeping away is an act of our love. Some never got that chance to be able to!
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika!