Freedom is within.

Often when we hear the concept of 'freedom', we would see this picture in our minds of someone bound up in chains and then the chains being broken. And we will say the person was set...that's correct, free.

This makes freedom something tangible. But could it be that even when chained, captive and a slave in the physical sense, a man could be free? And this would also then imply the reverse, that a man being free in a physical sense at the same time could be chained and captive?

I have been reading "A biography - Mandela" by Martin Meredith. During my read I have stumbled upon this chapter that made me question the concept of freedom.

"I hate the practice of racial discrimination, and in my hatred I am sustained by the fact that the overwhelming majority of mankind hate it equally....
Nothing that this court can do to me will change in any way that hatred in me, which can only be removed by the removal of the injustice and the inhumanity which I have sought to remove from the political, social and economic life of this country.
Whatever sentence Your Worship sees fit to impose upon me for the crime for which I have been convicted before this court, may it rest assured that when my sentence has been completed, I will still be moved, as men are always moved, by their consciences; I will still be moved by my dislike of the race discrimination against my people when I come out from serving my sentence, to take up again, as best I can, the struggle for the removal of those injustices until they are finally abolished once and for all." - Nelson Mandela

In this excerpt from the book, we read about a man that was captive in a system, but free. For Mandela, his freedom was his conscience, the freedom of a mindset. I believe even there where he was in jail in humiliating circumstances, I believe there he was a free man. Continuing in this book we find that the only ones captive during this testing times were the white National Party leaders. Slaves of their own system of Apartheid.

- You can only become free by allowing others to be free -

Bibliography - 'A biography Mandela' by Martin Meredith, p225

Small steps add UP!

It is said that “a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”. But just as important as that, is the thought that in order to finish the journey, you need to keep on walking.

Many of us often start with great aspirations of things we want to achieve in life. But how many of us at the end of the day find ourselves discourage and disconnected from our journey, and no longer on course? During our walk, we either get discouraged due to the BIG things not happening quick enough, or we get distracted and lose focus along the way with big/small things that should perhaps not be the things we should waste time on?

What if we keep the BIG picture in mind, what if we took the journey step by step by step, what if we made sure that every little step is focused and contributes toward the BIG picture we have in mind. I am sure we will soon find that continuing on the course taking small steps in the right direction we might just find ourselves inside the BIG picture.

Our challenge is not to have BIG dreams, we all have them. Our challenge is to make these BIG dreams smaller and achievable steps.

To make our dreams Bigger, we first need to make them smaller!

Geographical Responsibility

Whether we often want to admit it or not, our Geography plays a tremendous part in our past, our current location, and where our futures will lead us. Geography also plays a part when it comes to our own contribution to society. Not too many people understand and admit the connection between their geography and their future. If we for instance have a look at someone growing up anywhere in the West, whether it is the US or the UK, would you not agree regarding the advantages that this person would have compared to those growing up in Western Africa?

It is clear and obvious the multiple opportunities at the disposal of the Westerner compared to those of the African. The existence regarding this phenomenon should not be looked at as disadvantaged vs. advantaged; it should rather be seen from a perspective of contribution and synergy. Often politicians and those deemed more educated would call these pipe dreams and idealistic. But could it just perhaps be that some would be able to find not necessarily a solution, but rather a connection between the contribution between the West and Africa, or any other Continent as it may be. Could it perhaps be that this connection could also serve to be the solutions to issues whether political, societal etc. Could it also be that this connection could serve and be beneficial for all parties rather than just benefit a handful, or one party?

All parties should be able to benefit and contribute towards each other to create a better future for all citizens of this Globe. The aim is for us to see the contribution that we are to play, to contribute to others and also be benefactors of our contribution. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are all interconnected. What happens in some other country or part of the world has as much potential to affect you and me, as your neighbour has. The distance and space between continents are no longer an obstacle or roadblock for the effects on your life.

“NEED”

This blog was conceived by one thought : “NEED”…our responsibility, but also our opportunity.

This blog will feature things good and bad, poverty, struggle and everything else that is possible, and our responsibility to change. The vast existence of these topics are the things that seem to discourage us from bringing change. The problem is not the existence of these realisms, the problem is rather a thought of peoples being overwhelmed by the state and intensity of these problems. Still, the answer is there in front of us, and clear. The question often; “where do I personally start?” The answer; “start where you are”. The solution is not necessarily to fix the problem individually, the solution is to be a catalyst towards the solutions for these issues. It is not doing everything, but it is about doing something.

Our aim should be to bring the solution to the problem and vice versa. Surely the solutions and intelligence are out there. Sometimes closer than we think. As we will find, the solution to these issues are about making the connection between the problems and the existing solutions.

Thus is the reason for this blog and the following reports hereafter. Not only to point out the Need, but also to make the connection between the need and the relevant, existing solution.

After a discussion with a friend regarding change and bringing the solution, one thing came to mind. It always seems more romantic to go somewhere else, help somewhere else, be a humanitarian somewhere else, another country, another continent. But often the need and our responsibility is right there in front of us. I am not discouraging those already filling a need somewhere else, i am merely opening the discussion for bringing change where you are, in your community, region, district, town. Seeing the need filling the need.

How do we bring the solution from Concrete Jungles to Grassroots and Grassroots to Concrete Jungles? Surely there is a connection between.