Ubuntu

Archbishop Tutu writes:

"Ubuntu is the essence of being human, it speaks of the fact that my humanity is inextricably linked to yours. I belong because I am human. It speaks about wholeness and it speaks of compassion. A person who is with Ubuntu is welcoming, hospitable, warm, generous and willing to share. Such people are open and available to others, willing to be vulnerable, affirming of others, do not feel threatened that others are able and good, for they have proper self assurance that comes from knowing they belong to a greater whole. They know that they are diminished when others are humiliated, diminished when others are oppressed, diminished when others are treated as less than who they are. The quality of Ubuntu gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge, still human despite all efforts to dehuminize them."


Some friends and I recently were discussing this passage, among other subjects. The word Ubuntu was also included in Sunday's sermon at church this past week.

A coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

So I've been thinking about this new to me word. And wondering.

What would the world look like if we all practiced Ubuntu? How would things work? What would happen if we all genuinely wanted each other to succeed, if indeed, our well being depended on the well being and success of our fellow human beings?

Is it possible? I believe so.

Is it probable. I don't know.

And then, the more difficult part. I have been wondering what my personal life would look like if I practiced Ubuntu. Without waiting for someone else to do it first.

How would my conduct with my family differ from what it is now? How about with my friends? Or in my working life?

What would my gains and losses be? More importantly, what would be the advantages and disadvantages to those around me? Finally, am I ready to change, to take such risk?

Something to think about. Indeed.

A New Thing

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "You must do the thing you think you cannot."

For the last few years, I have been trying, in small ways, to do just that. As an experiment.

• I had a driving phobia, so I drove from Michigan to Arizona.
• I was 50 pounds overweight and a total couch potato, so I went to hiking camp for a week in the Adirondacks.
• I never, ever let anyone see anything I wrote, so I submitted some poems to to online magazines and to a poetry contest in my home town.
• I was terrified of public speaking, so I signed up as a liturgist at church and one Sunday I even preached a sermon.

So far the experiment seems to be going well. So here's another challenge.

I will make friends with technology.
I will reveal more of myself to the world than I'm used to doing.
I will even invite feedback, and if it hurts my feelings, well so be it. And if nobody cares, well, at least I'm mastering the technology part in a small way.

So here goes. I will share some thoughts, some photos, poetry, and whatever else occurs to me. And I will be brave about it.