Thursday, February 20, 2014

Ubuntu Bloghop


Today, I am helping Michelle Wallace at Writer-in-Transit celebrate three years of blogging anniversary by participating in the Ubuntu Bloghop.  This is an impressive milestone for anyone to reach, so I'd like to congratulate Michelle on a job well done!

For those of you who don't know about the Ubuntu Bloghop, here's the info you need to know.

What is ubuntu? "In Africa, there is a concept known as UBUNTU – the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others." – Nelson Mandela.
So in the spirit of ubuntu, I invite you to join me in celebrating my 3rd blogoversary!
Date – 18th to 21st February. I've allowed 4 days to make it easier for you guys, since some people only post once a week… save the date that coincides with your blogging schedule!
What can you contribute?  Any form of creativity that captures the spirit of ubuntu is welcome!
So, as I reflected on how to reflect the spirit of Ubuntu, I found myself looking at the little light-up planetarium that I recently got for my kids.  In watching the little pinpoints of light dance on their ceiling, I was struck by the knowledge that we all live under the same sky, and that fact alone connects us.  From there, inspiration poured forth.  The result is what follows.  I'm not really sure what it is, but I know what I felt when I wrote it.  If I managed to capture a fraction of the interconnectedness that I felt as I pondered these things, then I've done my job.
Enjoy!
Beneath the crystalline dome of blue sky, treading the same trampled ground, you will find them all, harmonizing together to create the magic of the everyday.
The baker, the undertaker.
The lawyer, a first class litigator.
The teacher, the preacher, the nonbeliever.
The barista, dispensing bright mornings with a smile.
The mechanic, the plumber.
The doctor, saving lives day by day.
All different kinds of people.
Many working hard, contributing their best.
Threads of different colors weaving together to create something more, the tapestry made more beautiful in its diversity.  Strengthened by the textures of daily life.  Yet, where there is good, there is also strain.  The same sky shelters the threads that are about to break.
The conman, who takes advantage.
The murderer, who deals in death.
The thief who takes, but does not give.
Those who take until their dying breath.
And there are those who want better.
Those who don’t know how to climb.
Hopelessness abounds in the shadows.
To darkness they are resigned.
Strain wears holes in the fabric, exposing many to the cold.  Yet many of those who struggle have learned to see the light.  Sheltered by the dome of night where stars twinkle bright, you will find them filled with dreams.
The lonely child who has been ignored.
The celebrity whom all watch yet don’t know.
The single parent who struggles for everything.
The student, out of money, nowhere to go.
The homeless man who once had it all,
until the world fell apart around his feet.
So many stories, woven in tattered threads.
The bravest, most hopeful people you could meet.
Lives woven together, side by side, crossing paths from time to time.  Though littered with imperfections, the tapestry remains strong.  The beauty of each life shines through, making it radiant.

10 comments:

  1. Wow...
    So many different souls under our stars.
    That was wonderful, LG.

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  2. I believe you succeeded in conveying the feeling. Yes, we are all different and yet the same. Each one contributes to the whole. With even one component missing the tapestry wouldn't be as rich.

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  3. Just catching this blog hop - what interesting posts it has inspired, yours included. I love your piece of writing here.

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  4. L.G. sorry I'm so late in getting here to your place.

    Your beautiful, thought-provoking piece has captured the essence of inter-connectedness, which is at the heart of the Ubuntu principle.
    It made me think of the following quotes:
    “We are all equal in the fact that we are all different. We are all the same in the fact that we will never be the same. We are united by the reality that all colours and all cultures are distinct & individual. We are harmonious in the reality that we are all held to this earth by the same gravity. We don't share blood, but we share the air that keeps us alive.”
    ― C. JoyBell C.

    “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.”
    ― Herman Melville

    Thank you for reaching out across cyberspace to share in the spirit of Ubuntu!

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  5. Wow, this was amazing - as I read each line, I realised that each one had its own impact.

    I love looking up at the night sky, just 'cause I wish I could go out into it. ;)

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  6. Like the tapestry you describe, you've expertly woven with words the essence of what connects us. Bravo!

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  7. "Threads of different colors weaving together to create something more, the tapestry made more beautiful in its diversity. Strengthened by the textures of daily life."

    My first response to your poem was," THAT's it! That crystalises ubuntu for me." Because while I know what ubuntu is, emotionally and live it, sometimes it's very hard to find the words to explain it. And you explained the various aspects of it so well. Thank you for sharing.

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  8. Nicely said. LG...

    I think you captured UBUNTU beautifully.

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  9. As I read this, I envisioned a quilt - each patch unique, the whole warm and comforting. It's deep, rich, and eloquent.

    xoRobyn

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