By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Nightlife in Apia has become a little more active than normal in the last few days.
The drift of body shadows sways into motion along the town landscape, as the sun disappears quietly into the far horizon.
As the dark washes into the night a more recent sight to behold is ushered in at the same time into the heart of the township.
What stands out the most is the burst of flickering lights in a rainbow of colours, rarely seen over a wider expanse, from the many high-rise office buildings.
This is the scenery of the past few nights that attracted large crowds, mostly families, for leisure strolls along the waterfront of Apia.
The view is not just awe-inspiring but warm and comforting.
Politics aside it is easy to agree with the PM that soaking up Apia in a festival of lights do lift the human spirit.
The crowd chatter that carries loudly into the clear night agrees in general with the opinion.
The multi-coloured lights are intended to build Christmas cheer and goodwill in the upcoming birth of baby Jesus.
The surprise sense of public appreciation added was unexpected and it is a bonus.
Again the PM struck the right note in saying this is what Samoa needs to lift the national spirit.
Health safety worries at the coronavirus pandemic have burdened everyone for too long the joyful relief is welcomed.
For the past 11 months and counting we have lived under the weight of health restrictions for our own protection.
We have responded by raising our tolerance levels willingly.
Our determination and endurance has kept us safe so far. Samoa is still among the few countries in the world officially free of the coronavirus.
The two virus carriers who gave us a health scare a few weeks ago turned out to be ‘historical cases’.
True they contracted the virus but it happened outside Samoa and were duly treated. By the time they entered our borders they were no longer a threat.
The incident is a warning reminder that the risks of the pandemic spread are still high.
Though thankful to be safe the economic side effects of our border closures have taken their toll on our normal daily living.
The mood of cheer the lights of Apia has sparked may have been unintentional at first but it has or should awaken in all of us the value of choice making.
We can be negative and nit-pick on things like expensive electricity bills. Some may complain about the lights keeping people up all night they are worn out and unproductive the next day.
The neutrals are the ones who ‘sit on the fence’ and take whatever comes. Hopefully, if or when they do fall off, there will be no regrets on the side they fell into.
Those who agree at turning the heart of Apia into one big Christmas tree and the cheer it brings are the positive ones. They are usually the happy grateful lot.
When Jesus was born where the cows eat and sleep, the positive group would readily accept the humble beginnings of the Son of God.
The negatives will question why make a big fuss over where the baby was born when the worry should have been on a far worse ending into the future.
We can agree, disagree or not be bothered as it is always the case, but it is all summed up by our human nature.
Freedom of choice is central to our creation as man. Our God people sermonise that it is what separates us from all the other creations.
There is a simple logic in it as well.
The choices we make as an individual are ours to live with whether we like them or not. If there are any complaints then we have only ourselves to blame.
We make choices too in groups we joined freely as individuals.
This is where we run into most of our problems with our freedom of choice on a bigger scale.
When one group makes decisions on behalf of another group who disagrees, we get what the Americans are currently facing with Trump.
We have our political issues too. Dissension in the HRPP party ranks has led to a membership fall-out.
MPs Fiame, La’auli and Faumuina did not agree with PM Tuilaepa and the rest of the HRPP party so…well… we all know where that has ended up.
The EFKS did not agree to the ‘faifeau’ paying taxes and now they are politically blinded to the line that Jesus himself drew to separate what belongs to God and what goes to Caesar.
Question? Is our God given freedom to make choices a blessing or the doorway to hell?
How about both! The conflict is in the definition of ‘choice’
Lord only Your divine wisdom will settle beyond doubt this question for us.
If you can spare us a moment on Your rest day, we will really appreciate it.