Comments on: Feeling South Africa’s Pain

By: 2summers

2summers — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 15:35:33 +0000

In reply to Rosemary. You’re totally right. It feels like there is no ‘good’ place to go in the world at the moment. No escape :(

By: Rosemary

Rosemary — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 13:47:06 +0000

So well written- thank you. Sadly Sourh Africa is not alone. Right wing inspired xenophobia is sweeping the world- the US is not much different and it has a nasty presence in the UK also – just not as aggressive as SA. Brexit is chaotic and politicians behaviour unprecedented. I am even inclined to think that Apartheid’s exit was much more orderly and mature (I was in the country at the time) and that the violence of the 90’s was opportunistic and inevitable with such a seismic shift in just about everything. These times will pass although God knows how long and what we will have to go through to get out of it all. You are right in saying we are the lucky ones despite the despair we feel…vasbyt…often one has no choice but to keep going

By: 2summers

2summers — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 19:31:06 +0000

In reply to catherine gallice. That is very very true.

By: catherine gallice

catherine gallice — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 18:36:21 +0000

thanks for being honest and truthful about how you feel with regard to SA…it is indeed discouraging even though we all want to see and feel hope! and there are a thousand reasons for that hope as well….

By: 2summers

2summers — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 11:02:32 +0000

In reply to Trish Warner. Yes that is so true and so sad.

By: Trish Warner

Trish Warner — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 10:31:32 +0000

Thank you very much for writing about how many of us are feeling.

Something that saddens me too is the fact that it takes the rape and murder of a very pretty girl to get media and public attention. How many poor invisible girls and women are attacked or killed in squatter camps, but their pictures and stories go under the radar.

Shame on us South Africans.

By: 2summers

2summers — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 04:06:19 +0000

In reply to Louise. That is sooooo true. Thanks :)

By: Louise

Louise — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 21:14:11 +0000

It always feels good to write about it, then edit, edit again, edit some more then just put it out and say, that’s my truth right now. Right? It’s grim sometimes to feel only compelled to write about the negative things going on, but, these posts are always so powerful, you speak to what is on all our minds! Really enjoyed this in a cathartic way. Also – nobody comments on your captions, but they are always brilliant and mix the tone perfectly!

I found 1st half of this year I was feeling very unusually negative for some reason, I even got homesick for the first time in like 10 years! But I’m on an upswing right now (maybe it’s a spring thing?), hope it comes that way for you too!

South Africa is so full of trauma, I really think that that national trauma has to be collected up and everyone needs to be able to feel more free to share it, like a collective ‘it’s OK to not be ok’ kind of thing. I can’t help but feel sometimes there are so many refugees walking our city living with the aftermath of the same kinds of traumas as the South Africans who are so suspicious of them 🙁

By: 2summers

2summers — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 21:10:36 +0000

In reply to eremophila. You’re exactly right. There’s no escaping it anywhere ????

By: eremophila

eremophila — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 21:06:30 +0000

Over in Oz, it’s not all cheery either. Lots of suffering. I’m steeling myself to write about it soon. So much heartbreak. Water, government corruption, and much more….. It’s dark times Heather, we just have to hang in????

By: 2summers

2summers — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 21:00:33 +0000

In reply to Margaret Urban.

I need to go back to the Wilds soon – it always gives me hope for Joburg 🙂

By: Margaret Urban

Margaret Urban — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 20:10:13 +0000

Thanks for this post.
I’ve been feeling it for months now too. Still walking my neighbourhood but even that less often; haven’t been to my usual places in Braamfontein for many months.
I love the idea of friendship benches 🙂
Not that long ago I had a very interesting conversation about medicinal plants near the sundial at The Wilds; a guy was sitting on the bench as I walked up to the top; I said hi and he said do you know that these berries from that bush are edible? We chatted for more than half an hour. It felt so normal but actually is not that normal, unfortunately, in Jozi …
Hug