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Through My Eyes

Through My Eyes

Author: By Kasia Yoko
Date: 2025-03-11

Lately, the world feels heavier. The weight of division, misunderstanding, and fear has seeped into our daily lives in ways we never imagined possible. The global stage, once distant and abstract, now feels deeply personal. Political rhetoric and ideological clashes have become so intense that they reach into our friendships, our communities, and even our own hearts. The conversations that once brought us together now seem to push us apart.

With the U.S. president setting his sights on South Africa, our country is swept into a storm of uncertainty. His motivations are unclear, but what is undeniable is the hysteria, the polarizing narratives, and the growing sense of unease. I have watched as lifelong friends take hard stances, often without space for dialogue. I, too, have felt the sting of rejection-recently being labelled as something I am not, simply for expressing an opinion. A close friend has vanished from my life, possibly erasing my presence from her digital world as well. Another, dear to my heart, broke down in tears simply because I mentioned a podcaster I admire. The fear of ideological contamination has grown so strong that even the mention of differing perspectives is met with panic.

This is not the world I want to live in. And I know I am not alone in feeling this way. Deep down, we all long for connection, for understanding, for kindness. We want to feel safe, not just in our physical spaces, but in our thoughts and words as well. But how do we reclaim that sense of unity when the world around us seems determined to fracture us further?

Dr. Viktor Frankl, a man who endured unimaginable suffering and yet emerged with profound wisdom, reminds us: "Everything can be taken from a man but... the last of the human freedoms-to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's way." In the face of hardship, we still have the power to choose grace over resentment, dialogue over silence, and love over fear.

He also offers us another invaluable insight: "Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness." How often do we forget this? How often do we react rather than reflect?

Perhaps this is where healing begins-with the choice to pause, to breathe, to listen. Growth requires change, but change does not have to mean loss. We can grow towards each other instead of apart. We can make space for conversations that challenge us rather than fearing them. We can acknowledge our differences without turning them into weapons.

We only have one life. One chance to love, to learn, to extend a hand instead of raising a fist. What if, instead of retreating in fear, we leaned in with hope? What if we made room for grace? Perhaps then, amidst the noise and division, we might rediscover what truly binds us together. Perhaps then, we might find peace-not just in the world, but within ourselves.