the good side of humanity

if there's one thing i'm learning this year, it's definitely the art of procrastination. but, i am a consultant, so perhaps i should come up with a better phrase for it. in fact, what i am doing is "embarking on a brief, but critical mental holiday, with the purpose of re-energising my mind for the rigours of immediate future." [currently patting myself on the back for coming up with that one on the fly]. hence, while i should be freaking out about the 30 page research proposal that's due on monday (of which i've already written close to 0 pages), i am embarking on this necessary journey to post another blog entry.

interestingly, this post is quite the opposite of the previous one. While I lamented the derth of human intelligence, decency, and progression in my last post, this one seeks to celebrate humanity and those who have made it possible. Credit for this inspiration must go to a friend for sending me the video. The video below is of a nigerian/brit named Chris Abani. Chris was born in nigeria, emigrated to the UK, and now lives and teaches in the US. He was jailed and put on death row 3 times, starting from age 16, by the then military regime in nigeria, for supposedly inciting a coup. no comment. so, one would expect that after his adventurous life in the dungeon of nigeria's prisons, he would come out speaking passionately about the dangers of authoritative regimes and the loss of hope in people. quite the contrary. time and again, when i hear similar stories of men and women being jailed or tortured unnecessarily or for doing good (people like mandela, chris abani, countless freedom fighters...), i always expect them to think the least of humanity and am ultimately surprised and inspired by their incredible hope for humanity and continued trust in the goodness of people.

i leave with some touching quotes from chris as well as a challenge.

the challenge: to seek out moments and people that, as chris says, "offer all of us a mirror to our own humanity". that is, people who despite hardships, see the good in others and strive to leave the world a better place through singular, non-recorded acts of kindness and dignity. my mother comes to mind with her strength, courage, deep concern and love for others, incessantly placing others' well-being before her own. i'm reminded of grace nyanga of uganda. of cody dye. of matt and melanie chandler. i think these everyday people should be those from which we get our inspiration. the challenge is to seek these people and these moments out. and to record them. tell their stories.




amazing quotes:

"The world is never saved in grand messianic gestures, but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft, almost invisible acts of compassion - everyday acts of compassion."

"You can steel your heart against any king of trouble or horror, but the single act of kindness from a complete stranger will un-stitch you."

"Before the genocide in Rwanda, the word for 'rape' and the word for 'marriage' was the same word; today women are re-building Rwanda."

"If you cry like this every time, you'll get a heartbreak; just know that it is enough sometimes to know that it is difficult."

The world, our lives, are filled with "amazing people who offer all of us a mirror to our own humanity".