THE REDEMPTION
Flashbacks on the previous year and the “Redemption” into the new year.
Finally! We have made it to the long awaited promised land! Oops, pardon me, I meant to say, “The long awaited year.” Man, 2020 had been quite a long year! It almost felt like forever — never seeming to end. Making it to 2021 is such a relief and a blessing. It’s been quite a rough, tough and an exhausting journey.
What a year it had been! One to go down in the history books for many millennia to come.
Taking a glance back at the year 2020, it had been a roller coaster of a journey but the foremost thing and picture that vividly comes into play is that of the deadly CORONA VIRUS that threatened the human race. From losing loved ones through an all-time enemy — death to people losing their jobs. Not only did it threaten the human race but inter-subjective entities too — the economy, politics, religion, social and cultural sectors just to mention a few.
The UNICEF described the COVID-19 pandemic as ‘the first truly global crisis we have seen in our lifetimes.’
At the end of 2019, an attack by a supervenient alien was launched in the small town of Wuhan in China. 2020, (somewhere in march) the world, like Noah’s ark began to shut down its doors — the borders for instance. A storm like no any other in the history of mankind had struck. Like Noah and his family in the ark, the world was on lockdown. To avoid the further spreading of the infection, little practices that humanity had deemed trivial for quite some time until 2020, had to be carried out as a mandate, such as the regularity in washing of hands, avoiding touching the face, keeping physical distance and wearing a protective face mask. Humanity’s survival depended on such practices.
Like thieves who break into a man’s house at midnight when he’s in his deep sleep and get rid of all his belongings, the human race was likewise caught unaware and off guard. One reason could be that it didn’t expect such an alienated attack to occur anytime soon. But interestingly and not surprisingly, the Bible, written thousands of years ago, had foreseen and foretold that such unexpected attacks (pestilences) would occur during the last days — (Luke 21:11a.). And even if we had expected and prepared for such an attack, I doubt we would win the battle. Pandemics and breakouts such as Tuberculosis, Malaria and the HIV/AIDs just to mention a few, have plainly shown us how humanity has failed to fight back and conquer against such attacks.(Its simply not in our powers.)
Despite the failures that humanity has manifested, it does not imply that it’s not making any efforts. Thanks to science and technology, Doctors are not sleeping but tirelessly working day in and out in the laboratories and accumulating more and better knowledge in order to make more effective medicines and treatments. Nevertheless, pandemics such as the Novel corona virus have clearly and plainly showed us that Doctors are running at a slower pace than the germs, bacteria and the viruses that lead to the fatal outbreaks that threaten the human race.
In his book, Homo Deus, Harari outlines some of the major projects the human race is currently working on. One of ‘the top agendas of the human kind today is to gain Immortality, bliss and divinity.’ Well, let’s face the facts. Like many other years, the year 2020 once again reminded humanity of its “mortality.” So many a great number of people died than ever before.
So, is it too early to toss or throw that idea into the dustbin or we should be patient enough and give humanity sometime to rethink its ideas, plans and projects? Honestly, it sounds like a pun or a facetious statement made by Joker!
And despite the fact that Humanism — ‘the agnostic and atheistic belief system' is trying so hard to blur and put God’s picture aside on the sidelines, 2020 has taught many, me included, that, there’s a God (Jehovah) who takes care of us and who we can’t live without. Recently, AKA had tweeted, “Do not let your faith and trust in God, the creator…be replaced by faith and trust in SCIENCE.” I deeply felt that to the core of my chambers because I had been there — On the verge of losing it all — my faith, trust and belief in God for SCIENCE!
Yandila, a good friend of mine put it well in one of his short pieces;
For me, 2020 and the events surrounding it reminded me of the Bible account of the Israelites in the wilderness who had spent quite an indefinite time and had gotten sick of it and longed to see and enter the Promised Land.
Finally we are here! Into the long-awaited year! All thanks and glory goes to the most high (Jehovah) that we have made it this far. It’s a Redemption! (Not so sure if that is even the right word to describe it.)
At an acute angle though, yes. It is. We’ve been through it all and nothing really lasts forever. Things are certain to change for better or for worse (God-forbid) than the previous year. Change is just so inevitable. But looking at it on a more realistic perspective, quite frankly, it’s a yes, no, maybe… I mean the pandemic is still on-going and causing more havoc. Remember, “Numbers don’t lie.” The health experts report that we are in the new wave or phase of the pandemic. Therefore, things are still shaky and pretty much unstable. And we never know what the future holds for us in its basket. Whatever that is though, we just got to be prepared, keep on guard and be ready to face reality.
And that’s no excuse for not being optimistic. We surely hope for the betterment of things. The only problem about being optimistic is being “highly” optimistic. Being realistic and moderate in our optimism of things than being ‘highly’ optimistic will do us well than harm. A realistic point of view entails accepting that things will not change abruptly but gradually. And with much needed time everything comes back to their normal state.
The challenging thing about change is that it has to do with the mental aspect of an individual and that’s not quite an easy thing to implement, honestly. Because real change comes from the inside. But the great thing is that it is in the power of each of us to make the needed change we want to see. It’s all up to the choices and decisions that we make. Most crucial, our Actions.
If you want to see change, Be the change you would love to see in yourself or the world at large by simply acting.
And change begins with your vision board. What’s my vision for the year? How does it look like? What goals do I want to achieve? What would I love to improve or work on? What change do I want to see by the end of the year? Such questions help one to make the needed changes in one’s life or the world at large. Then, to produce the much needed results, one simply needs to take up their role in the theatrical play and simply do the Acting — Working towards the resolutions.
It’s pretty much a shame (I feel so) to disclose this on this space but here we go. Since primary, the only school that had my liking and admiration apart from the David Kaunda Technical School was Matero boys secondary. I still wonder why I wasn’t accepted even after surpassing their cut off point. (Pretty hurts up to now). Regardless, I will, for as long as I breathe, live up to its motto, “Deeds not Words.”
And as Uno simply put it, “Ni do more, talk less my dear // Ukulandalanda sana, kuti wafwa na idea.”
You want things to change? Act.
Otherwise, I wish you all a good and productive year. May you keep your head and chin up high, work towards your goals and achieve them. Most of all, be the change you would love to see.
Oh, one more thing, don’t forget and always remember to wash your hands regularly, keep an alcohol-based hand sanitizer nearby, keep the physical (not the social) distance and wear a protective face mask. The COVID-19 pandemic is still on our throats and guts.
Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment or your thoughts on this piece of writing in the response section below.
And a HAPPY 21 for you All.
