I was born into an
experiment. One that so many people predicted would fail. The world watched
expecting us to fling knives at each other or let loose flames. We did not.
I
don’t remember much about my childhood, but I know that desperation did change
those around me. We grew closer, began to fall in love with this experiment and with each other. And that was just the start.
The experiment is not
over. Nor will it ever be if I can help it.
And yet, the world I
live in is not a utopia. It was not created by scientists who meticulously
planted every single tree to fit a pattern. Instead, pieces fell together over time.
My entire country was shaped by decisions guided by hope, but ultimately advanced
guesswork. That led to errors, some that nearly brought the experiment crashing
to an end, but still it continued.
Just like with
experiments, it is important to take a step back every now and again in order to
change your perception of the situation. We are often so focused on the
negative news stories we find, that we forget to celebrate the successes that
have been achieved. Over 20 years ago South Africa was a place of brutal
relations between fellow citizens. This mindset has shifted thus uniting
thousands of people.So far our
social experiment has surprised the world by changing the course of an entire
nation; nevertheless there are still challenges for us to face. But, is that not the case with most experiments?
