Monday, May 3, 2010

ubuntu

God bless the whole world, no exceptions.
'A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.''

Archbishop Desmond Tutu further explained Ubuntu in 2008:
 'One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity.  

We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.
This is the truth taught to us in an old South African principle, ubuntu, or ‘A person is a person through other persons.’ As Archbishop Desmond Tutu describes this perspective, ubuntu ‘is not, “I think therefore I am.” It says rather: “I am a human because I belong. I participate. I share.”’ In essence, I am because you are.

“Africans have this thing called UBUNTU. It is about the essence of being human, it is
part of the gift that Africa will give the world. It embraces hospitality, caring about others,
being able to go the extra mile for the sake of others. We believe that a person is a
person through another person, that my humanity is caught up, bound up, inextricably,
with yours. When I dehumanise you, I inexorably dehumanise myself. The solitary human
being is a contradiction in terms and therefore you seek to work for the common good
because your humanity comes into its own in belonging”.

God Bless the World,  No Exceptions!

1 comment:

maría cecilia said...

Hola, te he leido con emociòn, y con tristeza por la partida de tu madre. Te he leìdo tambièn con admiraciòn y por ahì me he reìdo bastante. Me pareces una mujer fuerte y transparente y una gozadora de la vida. Ha sido un agrado conocerte!!
Abrazos,
Maria Cecilia