Hope Dealers

The other day I was accused of being irresponsible for sharing good news in South Africa. Apparently, I “deal in false hope”. I’m not going to go into the nitty-gritty here but this person believes that our country is doomed and we all need “to get out while we still can”. So today, I feel like I need to say this out loud: I am not going anywhere. Nor am I going to stop talking about the good things happening in South Africa. Living here is so flipping tough. We really do have a complex relationship with this country. Ja, the crime is scary, off the charts and violent.

The poverty [in South Africa] is harrowing. It’s an epidemic that is utterly heart-breaking. Over 90% of our population live below the ‘dignity line’ and in that segment, 50% live in abject poverty. This means they do not eat every day. The corruption, lies and evil of our government knows no bounds. Every day a new story is uncovered that sends us into a deeper spiral of [shock at] their uselessness.

Unemployment. Inflation. Blue light brigades. Blackouts. Water-shedding. Gangsters.

I could go on forever.

I was seven years old when I first understood what rape was – a very close friend survived, but was never the same. My uncle was shot eight times when I was 12. I was hijacked in my early 20s, which left me with severe PTSD (and nine sets of stitches all over my body). My best friend was tied up in her home and all her belongings were taken. And I have lost so many friends to suicide … more than I can count on all my fingers.

ANOTHER NARRATIVE

You see, I know what is going on in our country. But I also know that there is another narrative to South Africa. A good one. And that’s all I do. I tell the other stories on www.goodthingsguy.com. I help people see a different perspective. I offer people a balanced view. I deal in REAL hope!

This place is crazy. And living here is really tough. So as we try to figure this all out, I’ll keep finding the good things. I’ll keep telling these stories. And I will be the biggest advocate for loving louder, being kinder and holding on to hope!

I’ll be holding doors [open] for strangers, letting people cut in front of me in traffic, saying good morning, keeping babies entertained in grocery lines, tipping generously, calling you by the name on your tag, sharing food, giving a thumbs-up, being patient with sales clerks, and smiling at people who pass by as often as I am provided with the opportunity.

WHY?

Because I will not stand idly by and live in a world where unconditional love is invisible.

I will love louder and more often and share more kindness than necessary. I will be gentle with others’ frustrations and feelings. I will be more thoughtful because I understand that we are all facing battles that we know nothing about.

Yeah, these are still unprecedented times … and that means that we are all dealing with many realities that we never thought we would ever have to face. Sometimes it can really feel like it’s all too much, it can feel like it’s so much bigger than us, a problem we just can’t fix, and so all we can do is slowly watch our lives and ourselves come undone while the world feels like it’s falling apart around us.

SIMPLY PUT

We are all facing something very cruel and incredibly unkind. But we cannot let the cruel make us unkind. And we cannot let the unkind make us cruel.

If every one of you who reads this made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, and whoever you deal with, you’d try to act a little kinder, the world really would be a better place.

And I think we all deserve a better place right now.

That’s it. Let’s give each other hope. Let’s be the light for each other. Let’s just try to make it easier for others.

Yes, let’s all be hope dealers. Okay. Love you. Bye.