Y’all, where did 2019 go? Kelip mata dah nak habis.
I don’t know how you guys feel about new year resolutions, I know they’re super corny, but I like going into the new year with some hala tuju – just a little something to sorta motivate me to get through all my existential dread IYKWIM.
Tapi, tak tau lah kenapa, I’m kinda stumped this time around. TBH, I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the problems in the world. And I’m pretty sure you are too. I mean, THE ARCTIC WAS BURNING Y’ALL. THE ARCTIC!!! 2k19 was that level of wild, can you believe we survived it? Because I still can’t.
So bukan nak cakap apa la, but I’ve felt a little kecik hati this year for a lot of reasons. I’ve felt kinda alone in some of my struggles sometimes — like the things I cared about weren’t taken as seriously by other people.
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And I know I’m not perfect! Like, I care a lot about the stuff that affects me, but how often do I think of other people and their struggles you know?
And maybe it’s kind of selfish that I expect people to be on my side all the time when I’m not always on theirs.
So, without further ado (gitewww), my goal or resolution for 2020 is…
(cue drum roll)
TO BE BETTER AT SOLIDARITY.
Yeah. Solidarity tu is basically…. Um. This:
Sorry skema — I just didn’t know how to explain solidarity without googling the definition, please don’t make fun of me.
Basically, it’s like coming together and supporting one another. Like, I support you and what you need, and you support me in my fights too. Kawan-kawan like that.
I think, this year, it’s felt like I have to pikul everything by myself and I can’t expect to change the world all on my own. It’s good to try anyway, because every little bit of change helps, but if there’s one thing I’ve learnt this year, it’s that we really need one another to make real change happen.
I mean just look at how our elections work – it’s not one or two people je yang kena vote, memang change requires everyone to come together and make it come true.
So, come 2020, I’m going to do my best to stand in solidarity more fiercely and more diversely!
JOM BERSATU TEGUH!
And if you’d like to bersolidariti with me, here’s how you can start practicing it on the daily:
1. Treat Everyone As Equal: Celebrate the warna-warniness of our differences without making it a competition! It’s never you vs them: we’re all just trying to get what we need!
2. Talk Less, Listen More: Kuat cakap tu memang, but sometimes I forget to make space for other people to feel heard. You can only appreciate the things that unite us if we take time to listen.
3. Stay Mindful: Sometimes, we gabra ke tergesa-gesa nak buat something and end up reacting instead of responding. Don’t do that – think about how your words affect those around you.
4. Make Time: Things aren’t always convenient, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do them. Like, yes, you wanted to watch Netflix but your friend really needs you now so please put the laptop down and go be a good friend, k?
5. Speak Up: Be fieeeeerce when it comes to issues that mess with you, your family, friends — anyone really. Stand up and call out injustice and things that are just bad, whether they directly affect you or not! We’re all in this togetheeeeeer
So ekcheli right, in the most basic terms, solidarity is really about accepting that we’re together in our struggles. It’s never a me vs you kind of thing.
And it’s so important that we know this because at the end of the day kan, our individual voices are powerful, but they are so much more powerful when we band together. So, let’s go into 2020 channelling that big “bersatu teguh, bercerai roboh” kinda energy.
Footnote:
PS – It’s International Human Solidarity Day on 20th December to celebrate our unity in diversity. Share with me what solidarity means to you in the comments below.
