Themba Khumalo
We are fast approaching Christmas, and it is prudent to give ourselves time for some serious introspection…a time to reflect.
We have been repeatedly told that Christmas is about bringing peace, harmony, and unity among humankind. In a world plagued with poverty, deceit, crime, destruction and pandemics, surely goodwill, beyond Christmas, is vital. The Christmas carols that pacify fears, calm anxieties, and nurse back to health wounded souls, must become the soundtrack of our daily lives.
Look around you and you will agree with me that in our, we are continuously hounded by heinous crimes, people losing their lives in harrowing methods. There are reprehensible acts of racism, homophobia, xenophobia, starvation and abuse; the list goes on…
It is no exaggeration that things are spiralling out of control. If Christmas is meant to create an atmosphere of kindness, companionship, and benevolence, why do we continue to be energised to be indifferent to caring values?
Is it not time we used the Christmas message to take a good look at our actions and interactions with other people? Why is it so difficult to take the traditions we keep and fall into like second nature during Christmas, traditions that emphasize goodwill, to pause and think about positive change?
We have had a very rough ride, socially, economically and politically throughout the year and it is only reasonable to reflect in terms of hindsight and contemplate the year ahead. Much as we have no certainty about 2023, there are lessons we have learnt that can be used to pave the way forward.
We have experienced an unprecedented rise in the rape and murder of women and children. As we prepare to get sloshed, on credit, women are facing violence and fear murder every minute.
I do not lament the passing of 2022 mostly because I have also, with great disappointment, witnessed South Africa becoming more mean-spirited. The utterances and views of our political leaders have been very shameful. The nastiest element has been the vile competition to see who amongst them could stoke the strongest fires of Afrophobia…spewing the cruellest words against brothers and sisters of African origin.
The colder our hearts become, the more dangerous this country will become. As common-sense dictates, there can never be good ahead for a country that is resolute in becoming meaner.
Triple C: Christmas for Choices
and Change
As human beings, we are blessed with the ability to make choices and changes.
I have faith in humankind and as such, I am driven to believe in the power of compassion, empathy and understanding.
Deep down in the belly of my sometimes panicky soul, I have ample space for reason, logic, faith, and spiritual relevance. I am a firm believer in kindness, consideration, understanding, sympathy, and tolerance.
Time has shown and taught me that people who are committed to bringing joy to the world are not, as a matter of course, those who congregate in the church at Christmas, shouting a gazillion hallelujahs until their voices are hoarse. The problem I have with religious reflections is that they tend to be discriminatory…it shuts out those who do not ‘belong’. Reflections of the religious kind seem not to appreciate that joy in the world involves joy that comes from understanding that we belong together as humankind.
I appeal in particular to the atheists or agnostics this Christmas to lead the way. Open your presence and bring joy to the world. After all, Christmas must be about presence instead of presents.
The wealth that comes from belonging to each other transcends anything that can be wrapped in colourful paper.
If we were to make time to search from the depth of our souls, we would find a bank filled with truckloads of love, goodwill, hopefulness, empathy and tolerance. If we anchor onto these values we all can make a better investment in humankind while striving to make the world a better place.
An investment of this nature will bring better returns by uplifting our souls.
If every one of us could start with one random act of kindness towards another form of life daily, just imagine how wonderful our country would be.
Let us make it a habit to live the essence of life with pure and good intentions. In the words of John Lennon, You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one…
Even the exceptionally talented Luther Vandross sang about The Impossible Dream
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
And to run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
And to love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest
To follow that star
Ooh, no matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march, march into hell
For that heavenly cause
And I know
If I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart
Will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
If all human beings in this difficult puzzle called life were to play their part unquestionably, the world indeed be a better place…
Close your eyes and imagine the beautiful picture of peace, love and joy we could create.
Go on and spread love and peace!
