An Open Letter to Sola
In you there is wisdom, humor, a life lived in the past, and beauty. It is because of these virtues that your future is held in high regard with optimism for your success.
But your success will be had at a price, as success often does. It won’t come to you willingly. Rather, it will wait and, since it knows infinite patience - after all, many many people never meet it in its full splendor - you will need to make great efforts to reach for it. But you must first decide what it will look like. Will it be envisioned in full regalia or will success to you be in Spartan attire?
However you choose, you must never stop in your quest for success. It may seem elusive at times, like it is playing a child’s game of hide-and-seek, but, with perseverance, you will capture it. Never stop searching: do not give up and acquiesce to defeat. On the contrary, it is expected that your journey will take a lifetime.
At the same time, you are not expected to embark on or endure this journey alone. This is not the way humankind attains success. Otherwise we would have perished ages ago. You shall have necessary tools to begin your safari.
Firstly, you will have the fortitude to endure hardship. You will be able to place challenges in their due perspective. This means relying on a strong sense of self. Lesser beings will try to hinder your efforts. They will question your motives and try to discourage you. Don’t let them. Keep going.
Secondly, you will possess discipline. This means the ability to focus while drowning out extraneous distractions. This is a skill and will take practice. You will not be disciplined in every encounter. But each encounter, whether or not successfully negotiated, will add to your repertoire of skills. Each encounter will strengthen you.
You may be wondering at this point what your journey will entail. It can’t be articulated for you clearly just yet, but this is evident; you have a whole family that lives in Tanzania. And they love you, even though you haven’t met. Your family, you will learn, comprises not only your blood relatives, but also friends. They are all awaiting you. You must go to them and learn from them. Some will not speak English, so you must learn Swahili.
You are a privileged boy of two worlds. You were born in a wealthy country. You know electricity, running water, indoor plumbing, and sturdy shelter. You don’t want for food, clean accessible water, and a life free from diseases like malaria or dysentery. This wealth must never be usurped selfishly. But rather, it must make you understand the larger implications: that having wealth means sharing it.
So, your future may be one of helping. Whatever profession you choose, altruism must weigh into your life. You will see. You will see how others live. There will be images of them that will be burned into your memory and, it is hoped, motivate you to action, however you decide.
You were born into two different worlds. You thus have a responsibility. Your success will not be yours alone to materially hoard. Your success will be shared. This is the vision that we have for you.
But your success will be had at a price, as success often does. It won’t come to you willingly. Rather, it will wait and, since it knows infinite patience - after all, many many people never meet it in its full splendor - you will need to make great efforts to reach for it. But you must first decide what it will look like. Will it be envisioned in full regalia or will success to you be in Spartan attire?
However you choose, you must never stop in your quest for success. It may seem elusive at times, like it is playing a child’s game of hide-and-seek, but, with perseverance, you will capture it. Never stop searching: do not give up and acquiesce to defeat. On the contrary, it is expected that your journey will take a lifetime.
At the same time, you are not expected to embark on or endure this journey alone. This is not the way humankind attains success. Otherwise we would have perished ages ago. You shall have necessary tools to begin your safari.
Firstly, you will have the fortitude to endure hardship. You will be able to place challenges in their due perspective. This means relying on a strong sense of self. Lesser beings will try to hinder your efforts. They will question your motives and try to discourage you. Don’t let them. Keep going.
Secondly, you will possess discipline. This means the ability to focus while drowning out extraneous distractions. This is a skill and will take practice. You will not be disciplined in every encounter. But each encounter, whether or not successfully negotiated, will add to your repertoire of skills. Each encounter will strengthen you.
You may be wondering at this point what your journey will entail. It can’t be articulated for you clearly just yet, but this is evident; you have a whole family that lives in Tanzania. And they love you, even though you haven’t met. Your family, you will learn, comprises not only your blood relatives, but also friends. They are all awaiting you. You must go to them and learn from them. Some will not speak English, so you must learn Swahili.
You are a privileged boy of two worlds. You were born in a wealthy country. You know electricity, running water, indoor plumbing, and sturdy shelter. You don’t want for food, clean accessible water, and a life free from diseases like malaria or dysentery. This wealth must never be usurped selfishly. But rather, it must make you understand the larger implications: that having wealth means sharing it.
So, your future may be one of helping. Whatever profession you choose, altruism must weigh into your life. You will see. You will see how others live. There will be images of them that will be burned into your memory and, it is hoped, motivate you to action, however you decide.
You were born into two different worlds. You thus have a responsibility. Your success will not be yours alone to materially hoard. Your success will be shared. This is the vision that we have for you.
Kila la kheri
No comments:
Post a Comment