Dead Tired

Dead Tired

12 November 12

Some days feel exhausting before they even begin. You feel it in your body — but also around you, in conversations, in faces, in the air.

Yesterday, I woke up already tired. Maybe because I had to be at the gym early with my trainer. After that, I had to leave my PC at the repair shop. Meanwhile, I’m trying to arrange how — not tomorrow, but soon — I’ll have to be on another island for a job. I’m postponing the car wash until Saturday — hopefully.

In between, I’m sending letters for collections, because a few clients don’t like to pay. Then there are all the emails and messages to clear up misunderstandings. Coffee meetings turn into networking sessions. And from all those conversations, one thing becomes clear: many people are tired. And many are struggling financially. From the AOV indexation to inflation, from overpriced quotes to unemployment — you name it.

I realize that a lot of people are truly walking around exhausted. There’s a sense of disbelief about how some manage to rake in piles of money at places like SOAB. And honestly, you can almost see it.

Maybe it was the hospital visit to a family member at CMC that opened my eyes. I don’t like hospitals, but I think visiting helps. Four people share a room; visitors come and go, and hardly anyone’s behavior feels stable — except the staff, who remain remarkably calm. The psychological strain is evident.

And amid all this, hardly anyone seems to notice that tomorrow, for the first time, the Curaçao national team could qualify for the World Cup.

It feels as though we’re collectively exhausted — yet perhaps, hidden somewhere in that fatigue, lies a quiet hope: that despite everything, we’re still awake.

Miguel Goede