As we are coming out of lock down (although this in various stages, depending where you are living), I do hope that you have taken some time to take a look at your current circumstances and have been looking to a different way of life.
As we start out on the new normal, for I am sure that the old life we knew will no longer be there, it is my hope that the world will be more understanding, forgiving and much more tolerant.
I look back to a period in my life back in prison in the Seychelles, sometime after the trial, we were just getting back into our normal way of life in our cells, still in a form of isolation and not being able to talk to each other. Remember we were living in total light 24 hours a day, when in the early hours of one morning we heard a lot of raised voices, doors banging and much shuffling around. Any new sounds made us feel uncomfortable. Suddenly we found ourselves in total darkness. This was not right and once again your mind goes walk about. What was happening? Were they coming to take us away? Many questions. I managed to get the attention of one of our guards, and asked him what was going on. He said “Do not worry Mr. Aubrey, you will be safe. Just keep down and stay in your cell.” I did not think for a second that we would be able to get out of our cells, but what was happening? Not a very good position to be in.
Just after dawn, we heard the first explosion and it sounded as if it was in our barracks. This was followed by another and a lot of shouting and running around down below us. It transpired that our guards had declared a mutiny and they were holding two of the loyal military officers as hostages in return for one of the Major’s in the government standing down. There was a lot of small arms fire and after a while one of the guards came to my cell and asked if they were to release us, would we join then in the fight against the loyal troops. By shouting to each other from our cells, we said that we would, however there was no way in hell we would actively join in this skirmish. The guards did not believe us either. They were afraid that once we were armed, we would turn our weapons against them, so they left us in our cells.
Even in the most tense of times you can always find a humorous side to life. Looking across the courtyard from my cell window, I observed the man who normally delivers the bread had somehow come up the hill to the barracks, when suddenly there was a very loud explosion as a mortar bomb just missed his van. As the dust settled the last thing I could see was the little bread van, wheels spinning and sliding sideways down the road out of sight. It was one of the funniest things I seen in a long time.
As the fighting intensified and the guards were more concerned with their own problems, one of the prisoners who had been housed in the old waiting room and was the only cell with a ceiling and not a concrete roof, managed to break free. He located the keys to our cells and proceeded to release us all. In the process we managed to free the two loyal officers who were being held. This was a real blessing that we would be rewarded for at a later date. We then found our way down to the kitchen where we barricaded ourselves in. We also found a radio and were able to call the loyal troops to let them know of the release of their officers and also that we were safely barricaded into the kitchen.
Well, that signaled the start of an all out attack on our barracks and over the next 48 hours, something like about 42 mortar bombs were dropped onto the barracks. It was most horrific period as the mortars rained down, they were landing in the pig sty, chicken run and in the building around us. The strong smell of cordite had permeated around. It was terrible. Noises of pigs squealing, soldiers shouting out, crying, the mortars landing and general mayhem. We were listening to the local radio station as they were posting news bulletins hourly about the effort to retake the barracks.
As the soldiers ran our of alcohol and drugs, they lost the will to fight and the loyal troops overran our barracks. Now we could turn our thoughts to ourselves once again. What would our fate be? We felt that by saving the lives of the two officers, we could only be in a better place. I am convinced that because of my strong faith, that I came out a bit shaken but not harmed. One of us had cut their knee open whilst diving to take cover. The mutineers had lost about 50 men. Some killed and a lot injured. Sadly one of our guards was killed. He used to come to my cell in the early hours of the morning and ask me to sing for him.
Once the loyal troops tool control of the barracks, we were let out of the kitchen and were taken up to a large open air laundry. This would become our new communal cell for a part of our stay. You see, they had to use our cells to hold the mutineers, up to 10 in each of our cells. During this entire period which had been quite hectic, I found myself looking to a day when this would all be over. Time did pass fairly quickly. You see it was the first time we could talk to each other. It was at this point that I discovered how close Barney and I had been on the hill near the airport. Probably 500-600 meters apart.
Consider, for example. someone having a tough time during a pandemic. In this case, a person may find relief in acceptance, i.e., this pandemic will be here for some time, courage, i.e., doing the necessary things to stay safe, and wisdom, i.e., having a good understanding of what is controllable and what is not.
Knowing when to let go versus take action promotes both empowerment and hope in many different situations. Remember your prior successes. When we get bogged down by a situation, it may be easy to forget our capabilities. Finding a silver lining is aided by remembering prior successes, which enhances confidence and self-efficacy. Along these lines, remembering that you have found silver linings in the past is yet another reminder of your inner resilience.
We knew that we had come through quite an ordeal and that we may have many more hurdles to overcome, however, for now we were safe and grateful. I do know that the more you have done in your life or in the interaction with other people, the easier it is to find some comfort when you are in a tricky situation.
Until the next time, keep happy, stay safe and may God bless you and your family.
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