Will I ever stop being inspired?

I attended a lecture last week where Zackie Achmat opened the session with ‘very few people inspire me anymore,’ Dr Brewer in our session alluded to the same sentiment in describing an event held with many Ambassadors. I thought to myself will I ever stop being inspired? Will it become increasingly harder to find things that inspire me? And then I wondered whether its life experience that chips away at our ability to be inspired or is it an increasing cynicism that permeates through the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the youth to effect change?

Spending time with the SAWIP team has lead to me believe that neither can possibly be true. I am well aware that I will meet people who will make me despondent, who will give the impression that the fights out there are insurmountable or who will disappoint me or sadden me. For everyone of those people who believes in war, power and oppression there is a person who is striving for peace, freedom and equality. For every person filled with unprecedented hatred there is someone filled with love. For every person that is filled with cynicism of the South African future there is someone filled with hope.

I, as have many young South Africans, been confronted with blind hatred and from a very young age I challenged it. I chose to challenge that blind hatred and in return I learnt to understand that many people hold such views because they have never been challenged. This motivated me to challenge it even more. And through this, I challenge the youth of today to challenge their parents, their friends and their colleagues. We are a far way off from the non-racial South Africa dreamed of by the Mandelas and Sisulus of their time but we are on our way there. Dr Brewer pertinently put it that there will be some turbulence on the way but we will get to our destination.

I know that as long as South Africa continues to produce young leaders, such as those of my fellow interns, who humble me and more importantly who inspire me, we have a bright future ahead of us.  And I am making a promise to myself now - to never stop being inspired.

Photo: Jolynn Minnaar