Effecting change

The one thing that we know we were bound to be, is great. We are destined for greatness, that is what we believe. We want to be rich and famous. We want to be world renowned.

I finished school in my hometown. I attended college after my final year and then started working. For long time I thought I was working towards my goal, until I went home one day. I was driving through the streets of my hometown at about 03h00 and it hit me. We have so many addicts roaming the streets, looking for their next fix and young girls being raped and murdered. It dawned on me; I was going nowhere, fast.

Does our individual success really count? I look at our professionals and have to ask who they are. Do we have any doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc who are practicing in their hometowns anymore? How can we label ourselves successful if our communities look the way it does?

We hold companies accountable for social responsibility in South Africa, but we forget that we should be socially responsible ourselves. Why don’t we ever question ourselves about what we are doing?

I am so sad when I see people giving up on children. We face drug and alcohol abuse, but we still choose to ignore it. Yes, the drug lords are there and the taverns and clubs will be there, even if we try to change it, but not all our children are drug addicts and well on their way to alcoholism. We have to start effecting change at this point.

Just because child abuse has become such a well versed topic, doesn’t mean that we have to accept it when another child goes through it. We have people in abusive relationships, but we still refuse to see the need to make a change. And I’m not only referring to women here, because men are also abused.

Would it not be wise to have a protégé and be a mentor? One child or person in whose life we would like to make a difference. The best we can do for our towns is to try and have a positive influence on someone and that person will have the desire to do the same for someone else. That person will understand that not everyone has given up on him or her.

It’s time to affirm someone. Get yourself a protégé and start effecting change.

CHANGE STARTS WITH ME!!!!!!!!