A moment in time

It’s easy to sit in the late afternoon sunshine on my deck, with the sound of the sea close by and birds fluttering at the feeder, a view across the rooftops to the back of Table Mountain bathed in soft gold light against a blue, blue sky, and think that life is good. Yet not too far away, civil unrest is being dealt with by communities, patients are lying in hospital wards uncertain of tomorrow and the world is in a froth of fear over a virus that appears to have the upper hand over our frail human bodies.

Businesses are in ruins, lives lost, families devastated. And yet the human spirit prevails as neighbours reach out to each other with food and necessities, employees arrive to clean up the trashed buildings, private citizens patrol the streets day and night to secure their neighbourhoods and the common man stands up to be counted. There is no doubt that there is great evil in this world, and we don’t all get along due to conflicting cultures and beliefs, but the very fact that we remain in our isolated cultures is a real reason why we don’t understand each other.

We curse the taxis for their reckless driving, yet they have stepped up as a presence for good in the most unlikely places, helping fearful shoppers to do so safely, cleaning up the roads and maintaining a show of force where needed. Capable leaders have organised night watches for security where no policing is visible or available, and the number of level-headed folk who wish for peace and a little prosperity in this beautiful land far outnumber those who have nothing to offer society.

While we mourn lost friends or family, we should remember that it is the human existence to go through times of trial and joy, peace and war, faith and despair. It is the way of Life, yet our souls endure forever and are here for only a fleeting visit. This too shall pass.