Festive season reflections: celebrating with compassion and vigilance
As we celebrate the festive season, this thoughtful reflection reminds us to consider those who cannot enjoy the holidays, appreciate essential workers, exercise caution amidst the celebrations, and unite in making South Africa a better place.
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Season's greetings and festive best wishes to one and all.
At this time many will be on leave and looking forward to rest, fun, leisure and merriment with family and loved ones, get-togethers, vacations and diverse visits to resorts, shopping centres and other places.
Regrettably some will not be able to enjoy the festive season due to various factors, primarily ill health, bereavement, financial hardship, work and business commitments and studying.
Please spare a thought for such persons, as well as those especially in the police, security, medical and emergency/essential services and store workers who have to be on duty.
Shopping queues are rather long and traffic heavy, with parking at various places limited, so kindly be patient and considerate. Accidents, road injuries and deaths must be minimised.
Special thanks go out to altruistic and benevolent individuals and organisations/companies that at this period offer financial and other assistance, especially to the poor and needy, so that they too can have hope, dignity and enjoyment.
May the promised peace, goodwill, justice and righteousness of Isaiah 9:6-7 (Bible) abound, even all year round.
Be vigilant and diligent, as too many crooks and con artists appear at this time hoping to rob and defraud people. Exercise trust, but not readily.
Parents and students must be wary of bogus educational, initiation and other centres/fly-by-nights that mushroom; due diligence must be exercised.
It is my prayer that Christmas and the New Year will bring all-round hope, peace, fulfilment, success and prosperity. The next local government elections will probably be late next year. With the electorate being prudent and learning from past bitter lessons, may a new cohort of credible, competent and honest councillors be ushered in so that effective and timely service delivery and good governance will be the new norm and corrupt, deadwood and useless councillors no longer hold public office.
Remember that it is nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. Let us all unite to make South Africa a better place with deliberate and positive individual and joint efforts. | SIMON T DEHAL, Verulam