The value of you
A recent news article about a 23yr old south african caught in Thailand for trying to smuggle in drugs had me ruffled. Not only because it was just the previous day that a South african had been executed for the same thing in china, but because this time around, I knew the girl... I know the girl very well. I've spent the last few days since hearing the news trying to figure out why Babsie would do something so careless? Could she really have been arrogant enough to think she would get away with such a serious crime? This is not walking into a shop and stealing lipgloss or underwear, this is applying for a passport, lying to your family, boarding a plane to a foreign country, getting your hair braided and stuffed with narcotics, boarding another plane to another country, and hoping to drop the drugs off and return home Scott free! This is stuff that blockbuster movies are made off! What made her think she would pull it off?
I also think about the payment that was made to her prior the trip - R20 000 - and the amount she was looking forward to on her return -R16 000. A lousy R36 000!! Is that what it came down to? Now when you're a young unemployed, bored twenty something, 36K seems like a lot of money, it is. But when you're a young twenty something stuck in a dark cell in Bangkok where you don't understand a thing and your life is pretty much chopped and screwed, R36K is just not worth the trouble.
This brings me back to the title of this blog - The value of you - have we lost our value as young women? Whether it be in friendships, relationships or personal endeavors, have we forgotten our worth? What I know is that love is when you put others needs before your own, but what good is such love if you are always crying and questioning? How are we to help others if we can't help ourselves? This reminds me of the number one safety rule on an airplane, you need to ensure your oxygen mask is on, before attempting to assist others. In my culture, parents are always showing off their children's achievements, that's what makes them feel like they have done well as abazali. My father always reminds me that no matter where I am or what I'm doing, I am a representation of him at all times. Our parents work hard to avail us with the opportunities we've had, to throw that back at them by doing something we know for sure could harm us and therefore harm them, is plain selfish.
I keep thinking about the chats we used to have with Babsie, about the successes we wanted to make of life and how important it was to make our parents proud. I'll probably never get to remind her of that. Her mother will probably never get to tell her that she loves her and wants only the best for her. My friends life will never be hers again simply because for a split while, she traded the value of her 23 years of life for R36 000.
