He was in isolation for 27 years – no family, no phones, no luxuries. Just hope and vision. We can do it too. There are so few people that come in a lifetime. They are truly selfless and for the good of humanity.
Nelson Mandela was cramped into a cell no bigger than a closet. He was placed in isolation so that he couldn’t communicate with the inmates, especially those who had been arrested for the same crime that he was: sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government.
The guards would not risk allowing such an influential man to speak with his comrades in fear that he would lift their morale. This was how they controlled the prisoners, treating them so horribly that they lost all hope, all of their spirit. Nelson Mandela, however, was quite the opposite.
Although treated the worst, he could never be broken because he had hope that shined internally, allowing him to gather all of the strength that he needed to make it through his days in isolation. Nelson Mandela’s cell was the length of stretched arms. What’s admirable was he came out smiling.
Mandela has taught the world battling the menace of Coronavrus today that one must stay driven, patient and determined to contribute to several people in a multicultural society, such as our own. If we can exhibit the same strength that Mandela has demonstrated throughout his life and career, we will not falter or crash in these testing times.
Mandela’s small jail cell has become a powerful symbol, reminding us today that that living in isolation helps but with hope and believe that better times shall definitely come. Here we are, locked in our homes, using terms like ‘social distancing’, ‘isolation’ and ‘quarantine’ more times in a day than we thought—all thanks to a virus that has put our lives to a halt.
While most of us still can’t wrap our head around what just happened and feel like we are in the middle of a never-ending long movie that will eventually end, there is still some solace to be found that we are confined to our homes and rooms for self-quarantine, amid family and loved ones. Plus, the entire world is in it together and there’s only one way to fight the virus — social distancing.
While it’s most certainly a creepy illness that stays silent in some human bodies and acts like a bomb in others, social distancing ensures that spreading out and maintaining distance helps in bringing the virus and its infectious rates under control, while also easing the pressure on our stretched thin health infrastructure.
Whatever the length of the stay at home or lockdown order may be where you live, keep practicing social distancing until everyone on the planet is free of this virus. Don’t take unnecessary risks and put everyone in trouble. You have to be wise for yourself and for others. Keep inside your homes and keep safe!
Also Read: Life in lockdown: Diary of a Pakistani student in China
