Embracing the Unknown
Kristen Abrahams
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6885-0162
Rita Macamba
University of Cape Town, South Africa
Contact:
[email protected],
[email protected]
In our world today, the challenges we face are complex. Societies are not equal. Race, gender, poverty and socioeconomic status impact health and health care. Historical and political factors intertwine with the social, economic and ecological. Privilege, marginalisation and inequity permeate the systems that shape our daily realities.
At times, the current reality makes us feel helpless – a sense of not knowing what to do. The complexity is paralysing. As we engage with understanding these contextual realities, we can see the need for something to be done but there is an ominous cloud hanging over us. We feel overwhelmed with the magnitude of the challenge. Not knowing where to start.
With increased calls for social justice around the world, there is a pressing need to create a more fair and just society.
Healthpunk volume 2 offers a unique opportunity to think about new futures – ones that are not constrained by the tensions of the present. Imagining new futures is intriguing because it challenges us to think beyond our current reality.
The future is something that is yet to be determined. The beauty of such liminal spaces is that it allows us to dwell between what is and what is yet to come.
The stories in the volume draw on the realities of the present but allow us to transition into a future which is yet to be written – a space of uncertainty.
Sitting with the uncertainty of the future and dwelling with liminality, challenges us to hold only loosely onto our assumptions and ideas of the world – allowing them to be shaped and reshaped. It encourages us to embrace a clear mind – one that is open to something different.
Engaging in liminal space and time also provides the opportunity for innovation and creativity. Imagining the future offers us endless possibilities for a new and different world – one that is more socially and ecologically responsive. The contributions to Healthpunk volume 2 challenge us to think beyond our present, outside of the boundaries of our comfort zones – to imagine a world full of innovation and enterprise.
We are inspired by the stories from people, from varying backgrounds, disciplines, and locations. We appreciate and value the diversity of the voices – an essential part of new futures.
The stories provide us with the impetus to dream and reflect on our own experiences in order to create a better future. Most importantly, in the depths of our current social, ecological and health crises, the stories in Healthpunk provide us with a sense of hope for a brighter future.
Suggested Citation:
Abrahams, K., & Macamba, R. (2022). Embracing the Unknown. Open Physio Journal. http://www.doi.org/10.14426/opj/202212hp0215
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