On This Our Freedom Day in South Africa

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OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2011-04-27 10:35 AM

ON THIS OUR FREEDOM DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
27 April 2011

As my Nelson Mandela
whom I am happy to share with everyone),
says, “Nobody was born hating
others for the colour of their skin,
their background or their religion.
They must learn to hate
and if they can learn to hate
they can be taught to love.”

If we take this further,
we can learn to love
and forgive
all people
for all things.

Generally people are – or appear to be -
rude, greedy, insensitive, uncaring,
and mostly selfish
and worse still
truly and poisoningly unknowingly
self-centred.
And yes, this is frustrating,
and inspires the will to be
the same back
tinged with cutting sarcasm,
but to what ends?
That is a lose/lose situation.

What about either
fixing it
if it can be fixed
and/or if it is worth fixing

or forcefully
ignoring it
and embracing
your own happiness
whilst allowing sadness
for the limited values and pleasures of the perpetrators?

My keep left (in South Africa!) philosophy
requires only that you keep left,
for
no matter your reason -
whether lawfulness
wisdom,
love of what is right,
selfishness,
logic,
or a simple desire not to
be involved in,
and/or not to cause others to
be involved in
a head-on collision -
the result is
exactly the same –
avoidance (in most cases)
of a head-on collision.

Hating causes you pain
no matter how much
you may think
you enjoy it.

Sincerely loving the world en masse
and spreading that to specifics
in as far as you can,
causes you a feeling of well-being
no matter how silly or impossible
or illogical or impractical
you may think that is.

What good reason
could you possibly have
for not wanting to feel sincerely good
and making everyone around you
feel as sincerely good
and being the creator of a win/win situation?

However, it is your choice
entirely.

Owl

Lori Grosser Rhoden
Member Patricius

since 2009-10-10

Posts 10202
Fair to middlin' of nowhere

1 posted 2011-04-27 10:53 AM

Oh Owl you wrote this like the dove of peace. Your poetry should be world wide required reading.
Lori

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

2 posted 2011-04-27 11:23 AM

Thank you, Lori, she says, smiling broadly. I am honoured by your words.

I was a little concerned that people might find it too saccharine and Pollyanna-ish.

Owl

JerryPat2
Member Laureate

since 2011-02-06

Posts 16975
South Louisiana

3 posted 2011-04-27 12:09 PM

Congratulations on Freedom Day, Owl, and your words are profound . . .

~ Passionate kiss, like spider web, leads to undoing of fly. ~

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

4 posted 2011-04-27 02:31 PM

Thanks, Jerry. It is just a pity that the ruling party took political advantage of it for the most part, and encouraged racial divides - though, given the purpose of the celebration and our shocking history, perhaps one can see and understand why, despite how unwise and negative the way the celebrations were handled - from the little I saw of it on TV.

Owl

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

5 posted 2011-04-27 05:12 PM

Wise words, born in a beautiful mind which speaks through the heart.

Enjoyed your philosophical take on it, dear Owl.

Love and peace.
Margherita

JerryPat2
Member Laureate

since 2011-02-06

Posts 16975
South Louisiana

6 posted 2011-04-27 11:03 PM

Politician are the same the world over, Owl.

~ Passionate kiss, like spider web, leads to undoing of fly. ~

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

7 posted 2011-04-28 10:48 AM

Thank you, Margherita, for your kind words.

Not quite all, Jerry. There are some exceptions.

Owl

Dawn Brink
Junior Member

since 2011-04-28

Posts 44
South Africa

8 posted 2011-04-28 03:51 PM

Ah lovely... Our country may have difficulties with politics today, but Nelson Mandela is a living image of your poem. Thank you, this poem is beautiful.

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

9 posted 2011-04-28 03:53 PM

Thank you, Dawn.

Owl

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