20Plenty of Time

It’s winter, it’s cold, we are in lockdown and now we also have power interruptions also known as load-shedding. Load shedding plus lockdown is enough to drive anyone crazy. I found myself humming the tune of “Livin’ la Vida Loca” a song performed by Ricky Martin. La vida loca is Spanish for “the crazy life.” I have been spending lockdown days with my girls, watching all the episodes of Avatar. I love the uplifting words of the opening sequence of the Avatar that we (myself and my girls) would all rush to say at the start of an episode: “I believe Aang can save the world.” I wish we had a Aang that can save the world. See what I mean, crazy, right?

On a serious note though, now in the midst of these turbulent times, it is time to give clarity, compassion and access to your authentic self and find and seek those moments to uplift yourself. I read over my journal notes where I wrote down an example that was related to us as congregants during a church service. The example was related in a humorous way, about a man that said because of load-shedding he had no TV, no data, so he was forced to spend the night talking to his wife… and he found that she’s quite a nice girl. Implementing load-shedding is necessary, just like the implementation of a lockdown is necessary for the country to prepare and gain time. Thankfully these circumstances created opportunities for us to be together as a family. These circumstances forced us to do things together as a family, things that we normally would not have done because we did not have the time. We find ourselves speaking more to one another and openly sharing our concerns and fears for the future.

In a world filled with depredation, we still have time. Sometimes an hour feels like forever. At other times it flies past in an instant. Today waiting in a queue to renew my driver’s license fell firmly into the first category. This was one of those days that I had to remind  myself to be thankful that I had the time and that I had the opportunity to renew my driver’s license. We are approaching days that’s significantly harder and our endurance will be tested. 

Lockdown has given me the gift of time to marinate what really matters to me. I am inspired by the saying: “ If you need something to believe in, start with yourself.” I need to continue to believe in myself. This will allow me to become a better mom, a constant loving wife and further it will allow me to be more aware of my family, my friends and neighbour’s sufferings and will help me to reach out to them. I need to continue believing in myself, to keep going, to keep hoping and continue doing.

The following resonates with me, written by Tracey Lange and sums up the phrase of 20Plenty beautifully: “We all expected 20Plenty to be the year that would allow us to achieve even more and become greater and more opportunities, etc. But what if 20Plenty wasn’t about that? What if 20Plenty is for: Plenty of time to reach out to someone in need. Plenty of quiet moments to listen to the soft cry of someone. Plenty of time to offer up more prayers to those who can’t. By doing this, we realise what life is really about. What our purpose is. Perhaps 20Plenty is still for us then.”

Let me end with words from RM, BTS “If you change your perspective a bit, I know many of you are going through tough times right now, but this could be the most beautiful moment of our lives.”