Africa

Africa is a continent full of mystery, full of ancient tradition, full of life and death. Since arriving in Zambia I have lived a lifetime in 4 months, I have witnessed my mind expand and a sense of home coming for the person I found within myself. I feel grateful for everything, for every moment has acted as my personal guide and teacher. I have been reading African literature and I am continually intrigued by the soul that emerges when one tries to capture Africa in words. A bloody history, an oppressed race, famine, corruption; these afflictions have riddled the past and continue to plague African soils today but a certain essence, a raw and unbridled life force exists.

I have developed quite a love affair with Ethiopia: one of the oldest nations in the world and Africa's second-most populated nation. It has some of the oldest traces of humanity, making it an important area in the history of human evolution. Many scholars believe that Ethiopia is the final resting place of the Arc of the Covenant. The famous golden box described throughout history, which holds the stone tablet which Yahweh inscribed the 10 commandments on. This is one of the most infamous legends of all time, but if I may recommend "The Sign and the Seal" by Graham Hancock you may open your mind to the very real possibility of a grand historical illusion that we have all accepted as fact.

I will not go into further detail about the book here, but I will explain why I chose to write about it. I was captivated by one man’s journey and commitment to a personal goal where he alone was the final judge and arbitrator of success or failure. It was a pursuit of character more than the retrieval of an object, seeking understanding and finding the peace that abounds for those who accept their potential for something more than mediocrity and take life to its limits. I feel there is a great quest awaiting all of us; some may know what it is, and others are still working towards this knowing. But perhaps in the end it is never about coveting the “ark” and displaying it on your shelf, it is about the quest and the intense periods of self-doubt, fear, disillusionment- and yet still being compelled to go on, remaining committed to being your level best in the pursuit of freedom.

Thus far, my time in Africa has shown me that life is not required to be fair and great suffering is reality. But life is beautiful in its contrasting colors and impermanence. Herein lays our potential to work with this double edge sword of life and carve for ourselves something unique and exquisite that we can be proud of. There were many times I told myself I could not make this journey to Africa and I tried very hard to convince myself as to why I should not come. I was afraid and yet resolved to go, anxious and very excited. I was eagerly waiting for this time to come and I wish to continue living in such fashion; writing and experiencing all corners of this earth in search of my arc.

Datta, dayadhvam, damyata
Shantih shantih shantih.