I’m as happy as anyone that we’re moving into a post-COVID world where we don’t have to lock ourselves up forever. We’re wired to connect, and I absolutely love authentic connection. Nothing better than good food, a girlfriend or two, and sunshine, any day.

 

What has fascinated me is the blanket return to ‘normal’. We’ve shown the middle finger to the reset we were given and have gone back to what was. Feels like a woman in an abusive relationship. She can always rationalise why she’s going back. ‘Better the devil you know’ vibes.

 

Business, for one, is lagging in transformation; hasn’t figured out how to measure productivity. My favourite recent meme is “Imagine spending R25 per litre going to work just to say “Nothing from my side””. 

 

Yep, that literally sums up the dysfunction around taking people back to the office in numbers. In a digital age. When the Russian onslaught against Ukraine is causing havoc with fuel prices. Kudos to those businesses that are moving the dial. But they’re not in the majority.

 

It may no longer be about COVID, it’s social etiquette that the Universe was trying to restore.

 

One of my most loved pandemic rules was social distancing. Sadly, I must now contend with strangers invading my personal space. At Woolies. Without masks. Imagine. It may no longer be about COVID, it’s social etiquette that the Universe was trying to restore. But we’re back to normal. Normal bad manners.

 

What disturbs me most about this blanket ‘we’re moving ahead backward’ is that we’re behaving as though the mental anguish and trauma, which reached epic proportions over the past two years, has miraculously disappeared.

 

For South Africans, that’s on top of the trauma that we’ve had to live through and continue to live through. Damn, this beautiful country with such an excruciatingly painful history that’s holding her like a collar and leash around a dog’s neck. The dog has the illusion that it’s free, but still barks to its master’s tune, lives within confines, takes what it’s given to eat, and so on.  

 

If you’re expecting a doom and gloom narrative, that South Africa is “going to the dogs like Zimbabwe” then you can stop reading here. I belong to a WhatsApp group that was created by concerned citizens who, without pay, work to help residents with power issues, keeping them informed on load shedding schedules, logging faults, and more.

 

Despite the sombre raison d’être of this group, and the occasional “this is a third world country” sentiment from some of the group members, I’m inspired by the power of a few who choose to make a difference. I have major respect for those who are aware of the problems and issues (heck, they cannot be ignored) but are willing to do something about it.

 

Implementation. Now that’s when we become Bafana Bafana on a good day.

 

Oh, South Africa, we need to get up and do! If policy and strategy development were an Olympic sport, South Africa would earn gold every time. Implementation. Now that’s when we become Bafana Bafana on a good day.

 

We say we’re aiming for the goalpost but all we’re really doing is playing around. And getting paid for it. Why don’t we call the women if we want to win?

 

Many of the issues we face can be debilitating. Some days it feels like it’s easier to bundle in a ball, stay in bed – if you have one – and cry. We can get immobilised by fear. I’ve been immobilised by fear. I still am. Work in progress. But “if you approach the mountain in fear, it will look bigger than it appears”. Not my words, those are from Tene Edwards.

 

We must also accept that not all of us will ascend to positions of leadership where we have influence to make big, sweeping change.  And from what I’ve seen, those in leadership, for the most part, are less concerned with that. Not many role models there.

 

I’ve become a huge proponent of the ‘one step at a time, one day at a time, control what you can’ philosophy. I’m happy to pull everything back to the centre, to me, and then move out to those that I can touch, literally.

 

Side note: I recently discovered that there is a shingles vaccine.

 

It may come across as selfish and detached, and not interested in the ‘big bad world out there’ but it’s a healing, protection mechanism for me. I have an adverse reaction to stress and anxiety. My shingles experience in July 2021 was proof of this. Side note: I recently discovered that there is a shingles vaccine.

 

I’m here to make a difference in my small sphere, in a small way. Here’s the beauty of this inward approach. It’s available to each and every one of us.

 

Some simple things: call out racism when you’re confronted with it, don’t share sexist memes, open yourself to the possibility that diversity and inclusion are the nexus of transformation, we’re all made in the likeness of our Creator. There’s space for all.

 

If everyone commits to making a difference, however minute, we’ll switch on an energy charge that will shift the consciousness to create the change we are so desperate to see. We’re not bystanders. You don’t need thousands of followers on social media to have influence. You only need to get up each day and make a promise to share your light with those around you.

 

And while you’re at it, voting is the right and responsibility you have on the back of many who sacrificed their lives. 2024 will be here in a flash; take the coming months to think about it…