Rosemary Smythe: “I have a dream for SA in 2017…”

By Rosemary Smythe*

My dream is very simple but also difficult to imagine.

Rosemary Smythe

“Let us all work on developing our sense of empathy, to try and put ourselves in others shoes.”

With luck and work this leads to a better understanding of our fellow citizens.

Try the simple visualisation of living without running water and sanitation …can you then empathise with those citizens living without these absolute basics.

Your roof leaks making all your only belongings wet or worse still it blows off in a gale.

No gutters so water comes in through the front door.

You have no ceilings to help temper the heat or cold weather.

No electricity or gas for cooking so you “ borrow cables from your neighbour”, which could lead to accidents.

Only candles, if you can afford them, for lighting so that your children can study for Matric.

Too little food to feed your family, so children go to school on empty stomachs and fall asleep in class.

No money for soap or cleaning products so do you buy a cake of soap or a piece of cake? And of course this leads to poor hygiene.

The men on the side of the road, try to imagine their despair in not being able to feed their families.

Imagine men who were or still are lacking in self esteem because over the years they were dominated and nothing except labourers.

Treat all people with civility and respect though not always easy but a smile goes a long way to engaging with each other.

Whilst we cannot change or forget our past we can start changing our understanding of people’s needs and aspirations as a fellow citizen aspiring to what we, many of us, take for granted.

  • Rosemary Smythe is a former tennis coach at both school and provincial level. She’s now retired and has interests in birding, gardening and reading.
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