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Out on the vast plains and mountains of South Africa this past July, you could say I found love again. I was volunteering at a school and the kids studied me. Me studying them with a smile and a wariness, wondering if they would “let me in to their world”. We served a lunch and one by one, they sat on the concrete walkway to eat.
I looked over and saw a girl, maybe about ten sitting alone eating her lunch. I went over and said hello. She just looked at me out of the corner of her eye, wary of me as well. Just when I was thinking I should probably walk away and leave her to eat, she patted the concrete next to her, as if to say, “Please, sit down”. I took her que, and walked over to her and saw her ragged and stained t-shirt. It said, “Love Don’t Forget”. There was no punctuation on the shirt, but got curious and saw this to mean,
“Love, Don’t Forget”.
We played a game together and I helped her with her assignment and at the end of the afternoon we were fast friends. We hugged each other for a long time, telling her I would see her again soon. I couldn’t bear to say “goodbye” to this little sage so full of wisdom and joy.
Days later, I returned to the United (?) States, two parties fighting, tensions high, rallies on street corners, people screaming at each other. I feel the anger in me rising.
I back down. I have a promise to keep.
Love, Don’t Forget.
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I remember my African friend and remind myself when I am not acting in accordance with my true nature, which is LOVE, that I forget. And I react.
We have so much to do, and life feels about twenty minutes long. I remember I have nothing to prove, but love. I think as Americans we are all fed up. Fed up with the fighting, the anger and most all of us just want a more calm, healing path to peace in this one precious life we each have been blessed with.
I will keep it simple. There are so MANY things I have learned on this trip.
But most of all, I have learned Love, Don’t Forget.
Nancy + Team Sweet Bird |
