CoronaVirus has me taking stock of blessings

In a world so full of noise, uncertainty, fear and failure, I’ve been given an opportunity to pause, reflect and certainly count my blessings!

Yes, there's a new virus in town and no this one is not only sending us to the doctors rooms and hospital wards, my dear this one has the entire world on lockdown, quarantined and changing the way we do things. I say changing the way we do things but in fact its shown that we are just a slack nation on other aspects. We've been screaming 4IR and digital skills for a couple of years and not many have heeded this call.

2020 starts on a normal pace as usual, a lot of noise in the schooling system on deaths of school children but nothing to do with ? yes you've guessed it "Digital Skills". The past two weeks have forced so many companies, education system and individuals to jump on wagon already, Go Digital - do training, host meetings online and quite frankly shift their services and offerings on digital platforms. Who's to say we will get it right in a few months let alone contain the virus.

It's day 4 of the South African Lockdown and many companies have had to quickly reconsider their strategies including which of their services is "essential", which is not (and who can go on leave or stand-by and who can work from home). So i've been home for about two weeks now with schools having closed early. It's a daily struggle between me, this little man and my sister. We are working while trying to get him to focus on school work or anything educational for that matter. If you ask me I say we are going to have a looooong #21Days Lockdown period. At the rate that everything is going it may even be extended. So we best get our act together with this daily schedule planning.

I digress. Sure things are uncertain now, suddenly the world is not so noisy anymore because everyone has been, uhm how do I say this? Yes yes more like everyone has been sent to their rooms, for a bloody good reason of course! Its all over the news, a global pandemic, suddenly we are washing our hands with soap for 20 seconds and foundation phase school children (creche/kinder-garden) are probably wondering why are adults only learning about this important hygiene now.. so spare a moment so read on SA updates. We are all in this together.

This time however, I insisted Mosidi, my sister come and stay with me and Aobakwe. Call it mental wellness, taking stock, counting my blessings and bringing closer those who matter most. My mom and cousin are well at home with the kids and we connect daily so i'm happy, but hear this, my mom has just learnt how to video call me, my sister asked Aobakwe how to use Microsoft Teams as she was preparing for a meeting and I learnt while on a Zoom training session with my team that it has breakaway rooms, and finally, I mean FINALLY my cousin, sister mom and me ONLY LEARNT last week that we can all use Whatsapp to connect on a call and not have to repeat exiting news ...

Digital Skills - you get where i'm going with this i'm sure. These technologies have been with us for how long now? Yeah exactly! Guys its time we unlearned and relearned new skills. The world is shifting at a very fast pace and we are being left behind. Thought while i'm at it, I may as well share this podcast I bumped into about Lifelong Learning and the importance of it. And I'm still digitally challenged on embedding it so here's a link ok lovies - https://soundcloud.com/ganglobal/skillingnow-podcast-episode-9-lifelong-learning/s-rlHKSDXgFHk

Okay okay I know, enough with the tongue-lash already, you get it i'm sure. Anyway, so, not many things have gone the way I wanted them to go in life, no such luck here... some have led me to long nights of tears wondering what I could’ve changed to have things go my way! But the journey has been absolutely insane and beautifully rocky filled with lessons and some times just straight out clear "winging it and flippen achieving it"! There’s a couple of things I’m truly grateful for and two of them is my family and this little man here! 

A moment before learnt about the lockdown period I was to set off and go to Otter Trail for a week or so and Aobakwe was not having it easy (forget that lockdown was announced and SANParks postponed us to Feb 2021 because of Coronavirus), luckily we had booked a weekend getaway before my big adventure, to atleast leave him with a few memories until I return (Its tough but its called Mommy making magic) so it looks as if we all had an amazing adventure around the same time.

My sister on the other hand had been to Drakensberg before. She and my mom came with me a couple of years back when I was doing my first "big" Drakensberg hike. Can you believe they slept in Witsieshoek while I woke up to the most amazing sunrise on the mountain top. That was my first big hike and they came with me. Do you understand what these guys mean to me?

Aobakwe, you will read this one day ! and you will get to read your COVID-19 Diary you've been writing. I want you to know this - Remain curious and adventurous ! Remain excited and continue to play in the rain unfazed by the many drops magically showering you with blessings like i've seen it over the past weekend spend in Drakensberg... continue to dream and identify what you want, claim in as your own and work hard to make certain it becomes that way if not better!

It was an absolute pleasure taking my sister and Aobakwe to one of my favourite places in SA. For what it's worth, we will travel again (I'm still super torn about Otter Cancellation), we will enjoy the outdoors again, we will trail the heights, for now though we #DontCancelPostpone on all travels. Its tough now because change is never easy. This change however is good, this change has forced us to pause, reflect, remember, reconsider, redirect, refocus, re-purpose and reconnect and for that I am grateful. This change is also to appreciate the men and women in uniform out there in numbers in line of duty. This change has also shown in plain view the two extreme worlds South Africa's people live in. Its been painful watching the news, so we've opted to not listen in the entire day but have specific hours to tune in.

It's a mental thing and right now we are working on getting back in line and taking care of our well being and mental strength.

You out there, across the Globe - Stay well, stay healthy and stay safe. I truly believe God is in control, may not look like it now but My God is busy working. #DuringTheDelay don't lose heart, remain faithful and prayerful. This too shall pass.

Until next time

Skirtgirlhiker