The darker the today, the brighter the tomorrow

By Malek Arol Dhieu
For every darker today, there is always a brighter tomorrow. Let us assume 2022 was a darker year, and on the same note, let us assume 2023 is a brighter year. This is just an assumption, not real.
I know there are people who do not exactly know the word “bright” because they have been ruled by the dictator “dark”. But this particular year, say “enough is enough” to the darkness and whisper for “brightness” whatever price it needs you to pay.

It is a taboo that dark days are more than bright days, but the dark days you have gone through are innumerable compared to the normal dark days. This has dehisced your heart into two; one heart tells you to get old and die in darkness and another heart tells you to struggle not for yourself, but your children. This is the debate in your mind!
But the question begs, how long can it take you to brighten your tomorrow? Unless you are selfish, but if you are selfless, you can brighten your tomorrow within one day. A one-day door to door campaign is enough to make your tomorrow brighter.

Remember if the population of South Sudanese is, for instance, 13 million, then 12.5 million are living in darkness just like you and it’s these people who will rally behind you.
Is your success not inexorable here? Your success is certain, I tell you! What then keeps you in darkness? Who keeps you in darkness? What is the weakest part you have planned to attack in order to expel darkness for good? How equipped is the darkness to repel you? Which source does darkness get its strength from? These are the questions you can toss while waging a mutiny against the darkness.

If you think you are the reason why darkness never leaves you, then change your ways of living and become something beamful. If you think your neighbour is the one responsible for your unending darkness, then call for reconciliation and your day be seen shining tomorrow.
If you think your government is the problem why darkness reigns you almost for life, then talk to your government to lift that ban by lighting candles so that darkness gets consumed by the light. A responsible government must provide bread to the people so that looking for sauce becomes the people’s only problem, but looking for both is a problem with sharp horns. Any failure to provide one, you or one of your children is gone! Imagine!

This creates sparks of light at night and people can be able to spot a route leading to the brighter tomorrow. It is unfortunate that the day and night are the same in South Sudan not because they are the same in the rest of the world, but because South Sudan’s days are darkened by unending wars.
However long the night is, there is always the dawn! But if the night seems too long just like what is happening, do not hesitate to invite the dawn whatever price it needs you to pay. If the price is death, so be it.
You will be honoured as a hero or heroine who fought like a lion for a better tomorrow. Remember not everyone brings freedom, there is always that blessed person who brings it and that person is you, believe me.
2023 is just 7 days old today, therefore it is too early for you to wage a war against darkness, but remember who and what keeps you in darkness!

The author is a medical student, University of Juba.