Day 8: Have faith

It's pretty surreal to have started today's post early this morning in Cape Town and now be finishing it up in my hometown of East London (EL). Yesterday this time however, I didn't know if I was coming or going, or if I would even get to EL for that matter!

A massive mix-up between the parties and airlines that be resulted in my flight booking being nowhere to be found even though all was set and in place with confirmations etc. after having booked my ticket in November! Thinking that all I had to do was just log online and follow the routine online check-in 24 hours before my flight departure turned into a rather stressful, nightmarish type experience making me question more than once if I was insane or not!

Enter Keegan, my call centre helper who was not only friendly, kind, caring and understanding on the phone, but truly professional and efficient ensuring that this mess was eventually sorted out and saw me reaching my final destination despite the curveballs that life presented! Keegan, a stranger I've never met, and possibly will never interact with again, reminded me to just have a little faith!

So often like I did in those moments, we get so caught up in the negative and let all our frustrations get in the way - our tiredness, stress, anxiety and whatever else we're feeling at that time - and end up taking it out on the wrong people or things. Reflecting on yesterday's events reminded me how many times I've done this over the last few years when things didn't pan out as planned or expected. We spend countless hours and time stressing, getting angry and frustrated! Looking back, I realised that it's when we let go, are calm and collected, and believe in something higher that things not only have a tendency to work out, but often work out in a manner that is far better than we could have anticipated.

This is what it means to me to have faith. It's our belief in something bigger, better and bolder for ourselves, others and the world around us - whether you call that God or the Universe or the Higher Power, or your self belief or the Law of Nature or Science or others that surround us like the Keegans of the world!

As you may have gathered, this is a topic I'm really passionate about - which is probably part of the reason I've battled to write today's post, or at least keep it as short and succinct as previous posts - so please do forgive me :o)

So I will end now, or at least try to wrap up - hoping that I've restored or at least reminded each of you to just a little more faith. I know it's really tough out there. As you may have noticed, I have specifically decided to not mention the C-word in my posts - not for fear or any sense of denial - but to provide something lighter, more encouraging and inspirational to your daily dose of data usage :o)

Please do indulge me as I share some of my favourite quotes on faith that have guided me in my life:

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King

"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark." ~ Rabindranath Tagore

"Faith doesn't always take you out of the problem; it takes you through the problem. Faith doesn't always take away the pain; it gives you the ability to handle the pain. Faith doesn't always take you out of the storm; it calms you in the midst of the storm."  

For the love of wisdom always, Poonam

Sun 5 December 2021, 08:00 CT, SA / 19:00 EL, SA 

p.s. so today is officially a week since I've been doing this jlog! I thank each and every one of you for liking, sharing, following and commenting on my posts :o) I'm truly grateful! Have a fabulous week ahead everyone