Between the late 90s and early 2000s I spent half a decade in the seminary learning Latin. It wasn't my favourite subject but I enjoyed it. Despite devoting so much time in learning it, I'd be the first to admit that my Latin isn't great at the minute, perhaps I've just been less motivated to practice especially now the language is becoming extinct.
However, no matter how rusty I am I'll never forget this quote I learnt many years ago: "Nemo dat qoud non habet" meaning "You cannot give what you don't have".
When it comes to love this holds true because you can't really love others if you don't first love yourself. So my question is, how real is self-love? Again how much of it do we really practise? Why would someone who claims to love himself enjoy being blind?
I bet you didn't catch that, I'll come back shortly to what I mean but permit me to digress a little.
Did you hear the story of Farkhunda whose life was wickedly taken away by her compatriots a while back? If you didn't, have a read:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/afghan-woman-stoned-set-alight-after-allegedly-burning-quran-n327001
(By by the way, Farkhunda has since been proved innocent and contrary to reports was mentally stable. Her attackers have been sentenced to death and others to various jail terms).
Back to self-love in relation to blindness. Here's what I mean: many of us have chosen to be blind to the sufferings of others, we turn our faces away, we refuse to wear their shoes and are completely insensitive. We don't care about the sick as long as they are not family. We don't care about destitutes as long as we are not government. We don't care about ebola as long as it's not our country. We don't care about earthquake ravaged Nepal as long as no relative of ours live there. Yes, friends might not be involved but life is involved!
"Okay what can I do?" you say. Do what you'd like people do for you if you swapped places. Do something, anything; make a phone call, give, pray, just show solidarity! We may not be connected by blood but all people belong to the same human family. Think, we even breathe the same air!
It is very easy to spew words of hate because we haven't walked in people's shoes. Do you know the battles they have fought or are still fighting? Do you know about their background? Have you got a clue how they were raised? I bet you don't know their stories. We don't know and sometimes we choose not to know yet we label them "addicts", "fat", "good-for-nothing", "childless", "divorcee".
We may not admit it but maybe deep down we don't accept people as much as we should. If we did we'd be more caring and less critical.
A single mother moved into a new neighbourhood and started living in a flat Mrs Donald tried purchasing for her sister weeks earlier but without success. One morning while Mrs Donald was having breakfast with her hubby, she looked out the window and saw their new neighbour hanging washed clothes on the line and said; "Honey that lady doesn't know how to wash, her clothes aren't clean, she must be a sloppy mother. I can't believe they wear those filthy clothes!"
A few weeks later Mrs Donald looked out the window and the clothes were so clean and bright. She was surprised, called her husband and said; "Look honey, I can't believe it. She finally learned how to wash ".
The husband smiled and said; "Honey I got up ahead of you this morning and cleaned our window!"
There are many Mrs Donald in our world today!
It's startling but true: many of us have blood on our hands! Yes, you read that right. While there are souls in prison, we’re actually not free. We only roam the streets freely because we 'tongue-killed'. But that organ called tongue can be lethal!
Everyday people commit suicide or at least contemplate it because of the poisonous words we spew. Those words become even more toxic when it comes from people they least expect it from.
There's no perfect person but really no one deserves any of your poison because you had a bad day in the office or because you're experiencing strife in your marriage. Nobody deserves to be your victim just to make you feel better. We really don't win by sinking people down, rise above that!
You'll be surprised how much things can change when you start feeling others. Anytime I try to wear the shoes of some mothers I'm amazed how they manage to remain sane after every 24 hours. Their expertise in managing the home is quintessential of how selfless they can be.
I remember how my mum used to get out of bed very early, clean the house, make breakfast for the family, rush to work, keep track of which food item is running out, the ones that need to be bought on her way back, plans how to go pick us from school etcetera. In the midst of all that she still managed to focus on her work. Then after work she runs into the kitchen to prepare dinner and the next day she starts all over! Yet they say women are weak?!
Today choose to be different, the world is already full of selfless and mean people, do small things in great ways. Prove you love yourself by saying no to blindness, open your eyes to see and feel others.
When strangers start living like neighbours, the world will be a better place.
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