I woke up this morning to the sound of rain pelting down—a proper Western Cape downpour. The first rain in a while. It felt momentous, like a cleansing. But then came the traffic. And then we missed the flight.
Oh my goodness.
Anyway, after surviving the feverish delirium and chest-thumping misery of whatever virus is doing the rounds (flu, influenza, or some rebranded plague), I was quietly pleased to discover that in South Africa, nothing had changed.
Strangely comforting, really.
The JSE, true to form, panicked over something that happened in America. And the local economy? Still as flat as a broken tyre. No surprise there. We all know why: there’s no economic plan. There hasn’t been one for thirty years. Just vibes. And not even good ones.
It’s familiar. A little too familiar. South Africa, a sad-sack country, takes its daily beating. Punched, kicked, flung against the wall. And as for those in charge—well, I won’t name them. I’m tired of them. Yesterday’s heroes, exposed. Not heroes at all. Fake heroes.
So—what do you do when you’re kicked in the mouth?
You get up. You find your feet again.
The metaphor fits. For the country, yes—but also for personal setbacks. Financial. Property-related. Investments gone awry. Family upheavals. Health scares. Relationship implosions.
All of it.
Sometimes, things get so dark you start to wonder if there’s something supernatural at play. Where’s the good news? Why aren’t the good things happening?
You catch yourself thinking: Maybe a lottery ticket. Or one of those magical “systems” that claim to know the universe’s secrets—for a fee. Maybe there’s a way out that doesn’t involve hard choices and harder work.
There isn’t.
You just keep going. Work things out for yourself. Put one foot in front of the other. Endure until the light cracks through.
I’m not saying the economy will get better. In fact, as I said before, this year is going to be tough. It’s only getting tougher. The worst is yet to come. The big statements are flying. And behind the scenes? People are already planning their dodges, striking shady deals with even shadier nations.
But for the rest of us—those of us who choose to live here, for the sunshine, for the people—we just have to keep going.
That’s all we can do.
