Letter from the editor: Never forget to be more kind
From individuals to large companies, the true South African spirit of Ubuntu shone through in the form of food and donation drives, sponsorships, or even just being extra kind to one another.
Editor of the Rosebank Killarney Gazette, Ashtyn Mackenzie writes:
Well folks, what can be said about this year?
For many in our community, the hope of a new year is the only thing keeping them going. For others, it is the final push to recover what little we can from 2020.
Despite the fog of negativity that seems to settle when thinking about what we have faced this year, I am delighted to say that although I have seen the worst in humanity, without a doubt, I have seen the absolute best.
It is a fact that everyone experienced lockdown in different ways. For me, it was balancing the many hours of work to ensure our newspapers and websites continued to deliver the best local news to our readers, while first-handedly witnessing the devastating effects of salary cuts and unemployment.
The single best moment for me was reporting on stories where our readers united to fight the effects of Covid-19 and the lockdown. From individuals to large companies, the true South African spirit of Ubuntu shone through in the form of food and donation drives, sponsorships, or even just being extra kind to one another.
Kindness such as this is contagious; I try to smile more (even through a mask), let extra cars in front of me in traffic, or giving that bit more when tipping a car guard or waiter. I guess if all we can do is try a little bit harder, why not? It’s free.
I can, with confidence, express how grateful I am to our Gazette team. The sheer determination in the face of challenging situations makes me immensely proud.
Thank you to every reader who has shown their appreciation. Sometimes it was just a long chat on the phone or a photo of their dad in the paper. You still love your community newspaper, and we still love you!
Stay safe this festive season; share that kindness!
