I never knew that life could throw so many hard balls at one country. But that is our life. We have always been known for making a plan and getting by, well this last year has pushed us all to the furthest limits of probably outer space. Somehow the days seem longer, and humour has become scarce.
The days of waking up to a hot cup of coffee are long gone! Ha! What is that? The only thing hot in our lives is the temperature. And apparently, it is only going to get hotter. Climate change and all that. The joys of what we have coming.
Hot water for a shower? What is that? You only get to shower if you have had the foresight and eleventy billion bollars to buy a solar water geyser and even then there is the joy of trying to extract water from the ground whilst not having the elusive electricity to pump any water that may be lying down below.
We have all been through some sort of trials, it is par for the course of where we live, so a few of us have generators to run our fridges and other essential items like the T.V and our modems to keep in touch with the ‘real’ world or as most people call it ‘the place that works’. We have all heard of this mysterious place through the internet, it sounds magical and full of unicorns and fairies and people that champion others.
I always thought our people, including myself, were tolerant, kind and helpful. Full of tenacity and grit we carry on regardless. Always, always making a plan to make it through to the next month. Unfortunately, I see a stranger that we have all met on the way to where we are now. That stranger is not patient and kind, that stranger lashes out in times of desperation and need. The stranger that I struggle to silence daily whilst sitting in queues for fuel, whilst waiting for our card payments to be approved or denied due to signal issues. The stranger that no longer looks for the good but just to keep my head above water. The stranger that I do not wish to be. I shall endeavour to continue the daily struggle to be a better human. One day there shall be an elusive light at the end of the tunnel (electricity permitting). Let us all push that stranger within away and continue to be the wonderful people we have always been.