Since relocating to Plett some twelve years ago, I fell in love with all the natural beauty that surrounds us. It doesn't matter where you are traveling in our town; there is always a vista laid before you.
The shock of firstly lockdowns and now load shedding can tarnish the most positive outlook at times. This is when I think of a quote by Frank Sonnnenberg: "Paradise is not a place; it is a state of mind."
While we are still surrounded by awe-inspiring views, when your routine has been shredded, and you get used to sleeping for four hours at a time to maximize working hours online and remain on top of household chores, rotating the use of appliances and juggling wet washing, I have found it more challenging to appreciate my surroundings, family, and friends as I did a little over a month ago.
When I start feeling my tiredness and stress mounting, I imagine what these new challenges would be like to deal with in Johannesburg where I lived previously, and in many other parts of our country where it must be tougher to handle all that our "civil servants" keep heaping on "Joe Public."
One of the best "cures" for all that ails us is to look up, enjoy seeing all the smiles (without masks – a true joy!) as well as the exquisite views of the paradise that we live in. This helps to refocus on all that is right, not all that is wrong.
I have often heard that you can choose to see your cup as half empty or half full, but with the perspective that your cup is overflowing, life still feels good, and you can reclaim your slice of paradise.