Opinion: No Good Thoughts. No Good Words. No Good Deeds.

Dear #ImStaying family,

I may have startled you with the title of this letter. I do apologize, it is not my intention to bring upon negativity, nor to steer away from the sole purpose of this movement. This was merely to get your attention.

Undoubtedly each one of you have been negatively affected by the devastation Covid-19 has bought upon our country. However, I undoubtedly know, that each one of you have found a new meaning to ‘Good Thoughts. Good Words. Good Deeds.’

We spend our days browsing positive posts, getting the popcorn ready when the comments spiral out of bounds, holding thumbs that our posts will be approved, and once they do, do you sit glued to your post? Watching the ‘likes’ climb in numbers? Or do you generally stay because you mean it? Because you want to stay in our beautiful country and fight for unity and goodness?

Do you remember why you joined #ImStaying? I do. I joined because I needed to feel a part of something extraordinary. A part of a ‘family’ that stand united, that learn from each other, help each other, and love each other. Yes, this is my happy place, a place where I do not have to read about the horrific happenings in our country. There are news sites for that. #ImStaying is place where I see beauty, kindness, and love that I never thought existed.

Back to my title. Yes, it was to get your attention, but my next few words will hurt. You will feel them, as we all live them and there is No Good in them. Murder, Rape, Abuse, Depression, Suicide, Addiction, Bullied, Unwanted, Unloved, Hungry. I know, you are currently correcting my language. Yes, these words do not commonly have capital letters. But they should, quite frankly. These words instil utmost fear into our lives. These words need attention, they need to be seen, they need to be heard and they need to be stopped.

At this point in my letter, you may be asking yourself, ‘how is this uplifting?’

The reason, yes, there is nothing uplifting about my recent new-founded capitalized words. But what is uplifting is knowing that I, or we . . . I am sure some of you are with me by now. We hear you. We see you. We are with you. We remember you.

Many of us have been wearing a mask for years, excuse the pun. These literal masks we wear these days are too terrible, I can barely breathe. But the saddest thing is, I walk around and cannot see the beautiful smiles my fellow South Africans use to show love and kindness. The ‘other’ masks are the ones we wear to hide behind. Which comes to my point, I cannot take the pain away, I cannot stop it from happening, but I can fight for you. We can fight for you. We can pay tribute to those whom we have lost and be there for those in pain.

To end my letter off – think! Think before you say or do something. You do not know what the other person is going through. Challenge those around you to do good.

This is a shout out to everyone going through a difficult time, I am sorry! You are worthy, you are special, you have a purpose, you are not alone!

Continue to fight for this life, the ‘new’ version of it. Continue to love each other. Continue to show kindness. Continue to reach out. Beyond Covid-19. We live in a beautiful country; we are the country. Together, we are one, we are powerful and together we continue to fight for this life.

In remembrance to those who we lost and those who could not continue. I am sorry!

Good Thoughts. Good Words. Good Deeds.

#Imstaying even through the ‘new’ norm.

#IVouchforyouAlways

With love,

Sarah

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