23/07/2023
South Africa: the best thing to do is "leave"
You ever have one of those moments that make you think twice? I had one of those this week. I went on a break with the people I love the most, my family. This last week gave me more than I bargained for - perspective. There's something about stepping away from the grind that makes you appreciate the small things we often forget: the people, our work, the familiar.
In the last week, we met kids and elders from Vukandlule, a village situated on the coast of the Eastern cape. There was something about their spirit, their joy, their resilience that struck a chord with me. It reminded me that despite the noise around us, there is so much that brings us together. Whilst the media, news, politicians, your neighbours, and many South Africans will have you believe that as South Africans we have alot more that separates us, I think it's the opposite. It's the similarities that are way more apparent than the differences - that is if you choose to look a little deeper than the superficial.
This story that I'm about to share might sound anecdotal, but I think the underlying spirit of the interaction is something that every South African can relate to. One morning, on our morning walk, a young boy hardly speaking a word of English, caught sight of my 9-year-old's Manchester United shirt. This boy, sporting a toothy grin, nudged my kid and asked why he wasn't wearing a Manchester City shirt instead. That tiny spark lit a bonfire. Before we knew it, there we were, 20 of us, playing a spirited game of soccer, strangers brought together by a shared love of sport.
But it wasn't just the love of a game that united us, it was the inherent kindness from them to us and us to them. From the way we shared stories, a joke, songs, to how we opened our hearts through soccer, it was obvious – South Africans, we've got kindness in spades, and more in common than we think.
And then there's the hope, a dream, a better future that we all want for ourselves and our families. We might get knocked down, but boy, do we get back up again. We cling to our dreams like a stubborn mule. It's this hope, this resilient spirit, that keeps us going.
I often tell my patients that comparing their lives to anyone else's is like chasing a mirage. It gets you nowhere. We need to run our own race, keep our eyes on our own prize. We as South Africans don't need to compete against anyone else, except our own potential. And from what I've seen and felt, our potential is off the charts.
So, to anyone who says the best thing to do in South Africa is leave, I say "you're right." Take a break. Step out of your routine. Discover the familiar anew, and the unfamiliar for the first time. Then come back, and with a new perspective, you'll appreciate the richness we have here in our country, our people, our potential. Yes, we've got a race to run, and it's us against our own potential.
