How can a people, a place, a continent that is so good at balancing things be so off balance? Today as I trailed behind a woman balancing, on her head, a bulging sack of potatoes topped by a balancing hoe, I lamented over just this question.
Off balance, off kilter, outta whack…
So much hard work, So little financial security
So much food, So much malnutrition
So much beautiful cloth, So many children dressed in rags
Strong communities, No national unity
Joyous songs, Somber celebrations
An abundance of forgiveness, Deep jealousies and mistrust
So much respect for visitors, So little respect for women…
Books are filled with the reasons why Africa is so off balance. Many internal reasons yes, but I would argue mostly external ones. Many of the factors are still around today while some of the reasons are old and long gone, but their impact has remained. I hope our generation’s impact will also remain. I hope that we will provide the resources and training needed to steady the scales a bit. But, ultimately, I hope our generation will give Africa the opportunity to balance itself, because even if we do not know how to balance things on our heads, it doesn’t mean it is the wrong way to do it.