The festive season was not as festive as usual. It would have been easy to guess that it would be a different kind of festive season, coming against the backdrop of an unrelenting Covid-19 pandemic .
Our merrymaking was not that merry because we had to cautiously maintain distance between ourselves and those we love. Our outings were not as audacious as we calculated the probability of running into a Covid-19 carrier. And our shopping was less than conspicuous because Covid-19 has not only hit our physical and mental health but has also dented our financial muscle.
If 2020 was about adapting quickly to a deteriorating situation, 2021 is going to be about learning the art of living with discomfort.
Change is already discomforting and hard for many people to deal with. The unpredictability and suddenness of change under this very peculiar national state of disaster means many more of us are going to have to find ways to fortify ourselves against the onslaught of anxiety and depression that has already swept others in its tide.
The thing is, in as much as it is our norm to rely on politicians to know what they’re doing and to berate them when they fail to do the obvious, we have to accept that, frankly, politicians in this country are as disappointing as a mirage when you are deathly thirsty in a desert.
While we can sympathise with President Cyril Ramaphosa and government functionaries to a certain degree, given that we, the citizenry, have behaved recklessly, their side is anything but squeaky clean. They have foiled the efforts required to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure and to roll out a comprehensive public health campaign that is backed by the capacity to enforce.
It is also becoming depressingly clear that the rollout of vaccinations could be even more topsy-turvy than the attempt at rolling out a universal unemployment grant and with greater risk to lives.
Beyond criticising the government, the opposition is as hopeless at presenting its version of a rescue plan that can salvage mission Qeda iCovid-19 (end Covid-19).
And who are the hapless victims in all this? Us citizens of course. As with every preceding governance blunder and societal crisis.
As we edge closer to the local government elections, the statement that “it is in your hands”, said by the president to us during our “family meetings”, is truer now than ever. Having accepted that reality, what does it mean for us?
Now is not a time to be complacent. We do so at our own risk. The health system is far from dependable. Vigilance is crucial. This pandemic is turning into a protracted war, where battles arise intermittently – and with increasing fierceness.
For those of us who already have to contend with anxiety disorders in some shape or form, the constant need for vigilance has become a debilitating state of hypervigilance. It’s simply exhausting. But we can’t drop the ball on ourselves and our loved ones.
Let’s take every precaution. We can’t worry about what isn’t in our power to do, like taking over the running of government and showing the politicians how it is done.
We need to fixate our energy and efforts on what’s squarely in our hands to control. We need to focus on our own actions and behaviour. Where we go. What we do. How we mingle. Personal hygiene. Keeping tabs on our health. Monitoring stress and its impact on our state of mind. Our emotional wellbeing and health of our relationships.
Ultimately, we need to take responsibility for ourselves if we are going to safeguard our lives, our loved ones and others beyond our immediate circles.
Let’s take the lessons we learnt in 2020 with us into 2021 and not make the mistake of thinking the worst is over.
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