Page 92 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 20

CommunityHealing
Health &

THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS

To Pay

Attention

hat many people some sort of desire: to pay rent in purposeless dreams and aspira-
are actually doing a fine apartment or house, to buy tions that would ensure that people
presently is drift- the latest car or gadget, to be seen at would remain caught up in a quest
Wing through life. I the trendiest club or pub, to have an for what did not matter at all in
should know, I was an expert at this attractive spouse, to travel to some the grand scheme of things – but
at one point. I believed that I had fancy hotel in an exotic location and they sure would be kept busy, like
latched on to the secret of how to then tell everyone about it, to spend little ants set on building a massive
make it in this world and I followed money on the best and most expen- empire that will at some point be at
my belief faithfully to its inevitable sive bottle of alcohol, to send one’s the mercy of the raining season. All
end. Nowhere. I got nowhere very children to the finest schools, to be this activity would be sustained by
quickly because God had mercy on seen to be rising through the ranks regular rewards (promotions) and
me and made me very tired of the of the corporate establishment, to gifts (pay hikes and awards) that
things that were going on around be some kind of shining example would keep the people motivated
me. I understood that they had no at church and on and on. Along and moving without investigating
meaning or real value, and made no the way, toss in some good deeds the invisible, yet discernible, struc-
sense for the long haul. That’s what like charity to a children’s home, ture that was around them that was
saved me. or something equally heartwarm- designed to keep them in place and
ing, and you were set. Conscience the system running… and them
I could suddenly see very clearly appeased. drifting aimlessly through life. Qui-
that there was a pattern to the things etly accepting the status quo. Not
that mankind wanted. All of them I realized that all that the world paying attention.
revolved around the satisfaction of had to offer was one long list of

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