Rocky Roads to Redemption

Apr 8 , 2023
By Kidist Yidnekachew

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Two weeks ago, I had a chance to converse with an economist about the inflation hovering over the country and the steps that should be taken by the government to address the problem.

He suggested solutions such as taking the budget from mega projects to meet pressing needs such as food security. He reasoned that the mega projects can wait but not the starved citizens.

Corruption was the major issue the economist attributed to inflation, aside from the conflict in the north and the war between Russia and Ukraine. He said corruption was at a new height and proposed battling it, especially those in power and the ones associated with them.

This made me think of the video I saw called Cup of Life, where the beginning of life is portrayed as a mason jar of full clean water, altered as life goes on when challenges get introduced and hearts get broken. The changes make it murky and everything cannot be taken out as it will leave the cup empty.

Taking out the dirt might not really change the colour but pouring clean water on top will eventually replace it with a clear one as it keeps overflowing. This act is interpreted as doing good. The more people engage in doing good; the more purified their life gets.

It symbolises the trials and calamities encountered throughout life. We cannot go back in time, change our actions, or erase our mistakes. However, we can try to make up for it with the present: doing four good deeds for every bad thing done in the past. I truly believe that is a golden rule to live by.

All of us go through tribulations in life. Sometimes we defeat our demons and other times, we are consumed by our desires and lose to temptations. Although born pure, our souls get dirtier as we age.

Corrupt people should find it in their hearts to at least pay it forward with a good deed. They might have purchased a fancy item for themselves with the money but helping out four people that are struggling to put food on their table.

Small acts that are thought of as insignificant make a difference in someone’s life. This does not mean they are exonerated from the bad deed, but it washes away some of the dirt from their cup.

Indeed, it takes courage to realise that the cup of water is dirty. Some do not even care that they are in the wrong. Acknowledging mistakes, showing remorse and working for honest money are steps towards appeasing the conscience.

But for the ones that are aware of their behaviour and looking to make amends, it is a good way to start the long walk of redemption. It is never too late to make up for the things we regret. Let us fill up our jars with clean water so the dirt leaves room for purity and goodness once again; after all, good always outweighs bad.

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PUBLISHED ON Apr 08,2023 [ VOL 24 , NO 1197]

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