I often think fondly of the community where I have my roots. Running around barefoot late into the night, no care in the world, playing hide and seek in the dark, Judy Boucher blaring from someone’s speakers. The good old days! 10 Beatrice Place, Gemini Way, Ocean View.

I always felt great pride when I gave our address, Beatrice Place. It rolled off my tongue, and melted like honey in a hot cup of rooibos tea! Home is where the heart is they say, and well, this is the treasured place of my childhood memories.

Die Blokke. A community on its own, like a small family, people looked out for one another. Die neighbours sal nie twee keer gedink het om hulle laaste stukkie brood te deel nie. Ja, mense het geskel, gedrink en geskinner, but nothing major – nothing that would push someone over the edge to pull out a gun or a knife to put you in your place. No, then it was words, maybe a paar klappe – maar môre as die babbelas gesettle het, dan was alles okay; everything forgotten.

Today I look at Beatrice Place, it still has a quiet charm, but the community is different. And I can’t help but wonder what memories today’s young children will have of their community in 2050? How will the current situation of crime, drugs, gangsterism and corruption impact on their childhood. Will their memories be clouded by feelings of anxiety, fear, anger?

If we could go back to the 80’s with the knowledge and experience that we have today, what would we do differently as a community. Would it be enough to change the course of this social degradation? Would it be enough?

Is it possible that today’s children’s definition of happiness and carefree may be very different to mine? It is, after all, our life experiences that shape our understanding of our emotions, our self-worth, and our capabilities.

I can’t help but wonder what a child’s perspective is of their reality in the context of their abilities, their value system, their self worth… if our reality is based on how we interpret the world around us. Especially if the world/community that they live in are polluted with elements of crime, drug addiction, gangsterism and corruption.

Perhaps, I’m getting a bit carried away with my thoughts, but these are some of the things I am concerned about when I think about my childhood memories and how today’s children are very different to the child growing up in the 80’s…

But, then I look at the stories, the successes born from the community of Ocean View. I see the talent, the YOUNG people making a difference. I look at this video, Petunia Court in Ocean View, where young people are impacting positively on many lives. These the children of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, standing tall, voicing their concerns and their hopes.

What IF this is the beginning of imagine 2050 – children living in an Ocean View, where corruption is no more, where gang warefare has been rooted out, where drugs are no longer a hostage taker and where crime cannot win? What IF we are on our way there…Imagine Ocean View 2050…

What IF we used the knowledge that we have today, to bring back the community spirit we had in the 80’s to shape the worlds and minds of the very young children to Imagine a 2050, where they are adults, sharing stories of a carefree and happy childhood?

I always say, anything is possible…

To quote Earl Mentor, Director of Fruit(N)ation – Cultivating Good from Root to Fruit,  “I use music to create a positive change…” This video speaks for itself, and I encourage you to support this Non Profit Organisation doing exceptional work in Ocean View, rebuilding a community, one youth at a time.

“If”, is this week’s title of a tandem blog, 3 bloggers 1 title. All published on the same day at the same time. Read my fellow tandem blogger’s interpretation by following the below links. Comments are appreciated!

Celeste: Surviving Jonkersville

Shelley: The Deal Is