The Reality of Life

Accepting the reality of your life sounds like an easy thing to do, but many people fail to do it.

Failing to connect with reality is why some of us have pants in the closet that we haven’t tried on in years.

Photos on social media is not what life is all about. Life is who you are, where you are going and the surroundings you find yourself in. That’s the reality of life.

Many people are enticed by what they watch on TV and start to reason beyond their means. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, but it’s wrong when you think you will get it easy.

Young girls watch ‘My Perfect Wedding’ and start seeing themselves as fancy women. There are about

17 000 youth in Namibia living with HIV, but our youth still sleep around thinking they won’t get it.

Young people watch actors drinking and smoking in movies and eventually make it their everyday routine, not knowing that every sip of alcohol and every pull of the cigarette cuts from their lives.

Many African youth do not watch African movies, because it carries the sad reality we face every day; they would rather watch Telemundo. They use a defence mechanism called denial because they refuse to accept reality.

Young Namibians must live their lives in a Namibian context, and that wisdom is received from the elderly. Respecting the elderly should be basic. An author once said: “We are all good at things we didn’t do and much of our regrets are about things we didn’t do”.

Ask yourself this question: If you had the chance to live again, would you live it the same way? If the answer is no, then that statement remains positive.

Furthermore, young people, let’s accept the reality before us, and bring about the change we want in our lives.

We have to get out of this dilution of a misinterpreted lifestyle. Don’t be limited. Why settle for half a loaf of bread when you can get it all? Why settle for a D-symbol when you can strive for an A?

Let’s learn to weigh our options and take responsibility of our actions. In the midst of the struggling economy of our country, we have to survive and rise above the sphere of no employment. If opportunity allows, further your studies – certificate to diploma; diploma to degree; degree to masters; or masters to PhD.

We have to learn to live a beneficial life, not only to ourselves and family members but for the entire nation too. Remember, some people had someone else look up to them. The road that leads to success is hard; few make it to the end and some don’t make full use of their success because they settle for less.

I want to conclude by saying the character you choose to portray today will shape your future. Time lost is time never gained. Let’s utilise all the resources and opportunities we have. It might not be what we want, but if they can get us somewhere, capitalise on them and get there.

Mubita Austin Siseho is the student representative council’s deputy president at the University of

Namibia’s Katima Mulilo campus.