Every year I write something hopeful, something that I wish would help just one person who reads it to have something to reach for in the new year. This has been such a tumultuous year that it almost feels like I need to reconsider everything, even my parting shot for 2020. But have no fear, there’s enough inspiration to go round, even after an annus horribilis like this. I’ll start with the things that have kept me going this year, that have given my life meaning, and perhaps they will strike a chord with something in your life...

Not sure why, or for whom, but I felt it necessary to say this:

If you’re going through hell at the moment -
If your life isn’t anything like what you always hoped it would be-
If people are disappointing you or hurting you -
If you’re hopeless, disconnected, lonely -
If you’ve fallen out of love with music, art, dance, even love -
If you aren’t turned on by the things that used to turn you on -
If you find conversation and philosophy pointless and uninspiring-
If you’ve given up on treating your body like a temple and treat it like a garbage heap -
If you don’t appreciate what others can do for you -
If you’ve forgotten what explosive, unbounded happiness feels like -
If you feel like you’ll never have enough -
If you don’t sleep because your nightmares are worse than being awake -
And if you look around and see a world that’s broken,

Please consider that you’re not alone, that you’re alive, and that all the universe, fate and the most impossible series of events over billions of years conspired to bring you into existence here and now.

That there are many worse off than you, and not just materially...

America celebrated their Independence Day over the weekend, a day that marked their split from the kingdom of the oppressor of the day, King George III of Great Britain. Since we’re revising history left, right and centre (but mostly left), I thought it might be useful to remind ourselves of what was going on back then, and why it matters as much today...

How are you doing in this madness? ‘Vasbyt', as the Afrikaans people say. I write one of these blogs every week and normally they’re not as controversial as the last two, but they might interest you if you’re thinking about what happens next. Just like any other mammal, I don’t have any special powers to predict the future, but I think it’s becoming clear that the lockdown will have far-reaching ramifications...

We’ve all been ready to support you and your administration in your efforts to save lives from this pandemic. Even people like me, who have questioned the idea of a lockdown as the best response have decided to comply and do whatever we could to help. We set aside our concerns over the heavy-handedness of the police and army; we swallowed and accepted that poor people in informal housing would be crammed into their one-room dwellings for a month; we limited our trips to the shops and even accepted not being able to buy hot food (for whatever inexplicable reason)...

Time to level with each other, ok?

You don’t have to prove you’re exercising at home during lockdown - we’ll know at the end when you roll out of your house if you did or not.

I believe you’re working from home. Thanks to all the holidays, April was a write-off anyway, so we were only expecting 50% from you. Don’t feel bad if you’re not the most productive person on Earth - you’re not.

You don’t need to post a screenshot of your Zoom calls to friends - I’m sure you have some. After this you’ll still be chatting on Zoom because there will be no restaurants, clubs, bars or events left to meet up at. Get some practice while it’s still en vogue.