A Lesson Learned

If being here has taught me anything at all, it is that the simple things in life are the things that matter most. Between talking to some of the teachers here at LJS and going to town the other day, it has been cemented in my mind. Life isn’t about how much money and ‘stuff’ we can accumulate over a lifetime – we can’t take any of it with us. The important things in life are the relationships we have with those around us. We learned on our first day that, in Tanzania, greetings are never just an exchange of ‘hello’ – you always ask how things are going or something. It is about relationships and their growth and maintenance. Perhaps it is our need to accomplish so much in every day and the hustle bustle of our culture which impedes the importance of relationships. But being here, I have had time to sit and think, time to grow, time to really get to know the people around me, and time to analyze. From all of that, I have gained a much deeper understanding of who and what is important to me. I have come to realize who is (and should be) really important to me. They are the people who make me happiest no matter what else is going on, who believe in me and my goals, who can make me see things clearly and from a unbiased point of view, and who I can be away from but then pick up right where we left off – for all of these reasons, I miss these people the most while I am away. Maybe this is something that is obvious to most people, maybe others have struggled with it too, I honestly can’t say. All I know is that, in the past, I haven’t always made the best decisions with who I hold close to my heart. I feel like the time to think and reflect has given me the chance to identify who fits into this group of people in my life.
Here, relationships are key. The front page of our Swahili binder says ‘Mtu ni Watu’ – a person is people. It means that no one is a full person without the people around them. Our survival (especially for people here) depends so much on each other. We rely on one another both emotionally and physically – whether you want to admit it or not. We are made up of the people we are around and carry little bits of them with us everywhere we go. But at the same time we each are gifted in different tasks and by working together we are able to accomplish anything we may need.
I suppose this post was inspired largely by the abundant hospitality and sense of community that we have seen and experienced here. Especially at LJS, people are so very willing to help us learn more – even if they aren’t our teacher right now, they are giving us chances to practice and helping us when we get stuck. And even in our lessons, Peter and I have been able to ask any questions that come to mind. Today, our afternoon session was mainly Abraham telling us a traditional folktale and then giving us an opportunity to ask him questions. It is such a blessing to be able to get a first-hand account of life here (and all of the teachers are more than willing to share). But it all goes back to the sense of community here – sharing is a part of the relationship building and it allows us to take that knowledge back home with us and work towards creating a global community.
Peace.