UBUNTU

It was an anthropological study…that I shall now describe:

A basket of fruit was placed near a tree…and the children of an African tribe

were told they needed not only to be fast but also resolute

because the one who gets to the basket first…gets to eat all the fruit.

When they were told to run,…they didn’t at first…instead like birds of a feather

they each took the hand of the child next to them…and then they ran…together.

Together they ran to the basket…fast and resolute

Together they reached the basket… and together…they ate the fruit.

When asked why they chose to run that way…”UBUNTU” said one lad…

adding, “How can one of us be happy…if all the other ones are sad?”

In South Africa the word UBUNTU…means ‘I am because we are’

It’s a belief we are defined by our compassion and kindness towards others…

and it’s a word that travels far

for every culture, every civilization…across the land, the sky, the seas

has a word with similar meaning…In America…it’s humanity.

Arabic, French, German and Hindi have similar words like these:

(Al Insaniyya, Humanite, Menschlichkeit, Manavata)

So do the Spanish, the Italians, the Finnish as well as the Chinese

(Humanidad, Umanita, Ihmiskunta (Renlei) 

It’s a simple word…humanity…that has an allure…a wonderful attraction

but it remains only a word…until we put it into action.

I’m glad to see so many cultures have this word as part of their folklore…

I think, however, the entire world…need to practice this word a little more.

We need to spread humanity and let our actions travel far….

We need to teach the world UBUNTU…'I am because we are’.

We need to follow the example of the children…we need to be fast and resolute…

We need to join hands as one…together…and together enjoy our fruit.