Glue and tape...

I know I will receive a lot of flak for this post, but this is merely my thoughts and my opinion. As a Coloured, I am so ashamed of our conduct at times. Notice I say our, because we are all to blame. We find more pleasure in talking about others and their pain and we do not focus on our lives. We sit around and discuss people, instead of getting up and doing something constructive. We find pleasure in the downfall of others. We rejoice when others fall because then we stand taller. I am disgusted by our behavior. This is not how we were raised.

Our community is falling apart because young and old are drinking and using drugs. Children who are supposed be sitting in school benches are standing on street corners, smoking and getting drunk. Girls who are supposed to be going to their matric farewells are going into labour. And what do we do? Are we trying to help them? Or are we tolerating this?

We are spectators in this tragedy. We are sitting and watching things fall apart. We do not stand together when things matter most. In those times when things fall apart, instead of holding hands and standing together, we continue pushing each other down. Our priorities are not in order. Somewhere along the road, we lost it and it is proving a hard task to get it back.

Today, I would like to appeal to my Coloured brothers and sisters to stop throwing stones. None of us are perfect. No one is without sin. Just because your brother or sister or cousin is not involved with drugs, does not mean those who are struggling with it in their families are filth. Just because you have not had shame brought unto you or your family, does not mean you are immaculate. We do not know the pain of others until we have been in their shoes. We do not know, until it happens to us.

We all have our differences. We all have our weaknesses. But when it is needed, can we hold hands and uplift each other? Can we put petty issues aside and support one another. We do not have to condone any wrongdoing, but we can also learn to be sensitive to others. We do need to get all the negative things out of our community. We need to shame the drug dealers. We need to help the addicts. We need to stand behind the tortured souls. We need to lock up those who deserve to be locked up. We need to stop meddling in business that does not concern us.

We need to pray. For Heidedal. We need to pray for our community.

Sometimes things fall apart. At times, we do not have the power to put it back together. Other times we do have that power, we just do not use it. Let us use it though. Let us use it to do good. We can all learn from each other. We can also all unlearn bad behaviour. I do not want to preach, I am in no position to preach, but I am appealing to you all. In your little communities, try and do something good for once. That good deed might have a ripple effect and lead to many good deeds and that may lead to positive changes taking place.

As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’.

When things fall apart, try to put it back together… Use glue, use tape, and just try to mend things again.

Let us be inspired to fix, rather than break down. Glue and tape is needed to mend.

 

Take Care

Miss Stone