My #Twitter home, my #Madiba giant, my night of comforted loneliness

My #Twitter home, my #Madiba giant, my night of comforted loneliness

Last night, I lay awake. Husband snoring next to me, cat taking up 75% of my side of the bed, iPad resting on my chest.  Twitter page open and, as if robotic, as if programmed, the old familiar swiiiiish PLOP sound keeps me company as I read one tweet after the next, that capture 1 single search term:

#Madiba

Father of our nation. Democratic Giant. Fighter of our Faith. Hero of our human rights. Peace-maker. Peace-keeper.

Tata.

Like most other South Africans in this world, and I’m sure not only South Africans, but supporters all over the world, I spent most of last night with my eyes fixed to news reports and social media discussions. How I longed to be in my home country and feel that same communal spirit we felt as a united people – the day Francois Pienaar held that Rugby World Cup trophy in the air… the day we all, black, white, pink and blue, took to the streets dancing, singing, holding on to each other;  for what that trophy represented, was so much more than just the win at a rugby match. It was so much more than supporting our boys in their green and gold. It represented that for the first time, since our first steps as a democratic and free country, we could stand together – united – legally – and we could celebrate. We could recognise our differences, we could praise our similarities, but most of all, we could celebrate in the knowledge that, as a nation, we had faced what the world had deemed “brink of civil war” and we had stood up, shoved it in the face of the doom-sayers and said, “We are South Africa. Watch us roar!”.

I lay awake reading the tweets. Tears streaming down my already damp cheeks.

• When the news comes I’ll cry tears of joy 4 being fortunate enough to live during the time of 1 of the most inspiring men in history #madiba
  
• Let us not be anxious over what we cannot control,#Madiba our hero, It is well !
• Don’t think for 1 minute that you only inspired the people of S.Africa, you are an example to the world. Sleep safe #madiba #nelsonmandela
• I am what i am because of who we all are #ubuntu #madiba
• 94 years on Earth, 27 years in jail, 4 years as president, legend forever #Madiba

So in this quiet moment of turmoil, and feeling a million miles away from the nation I love, the culture I drink up, my family, my friends – in this quiet turmoil feeling completely alone and insignificant, I took solace in my Twitter community who, where the prognosis was nothing but despair, echoed my dreary heart and broadcasted words of wisdom, celebration, praise, and most of all, gratitude. 

And I felt loved.

Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika.

Listen to this.