Rhythm, Blues, and a Soulful Mission

I was born in a land of rhythm some blues, but mostly rhythm Rhythm made me forget the blues

The blues of political instability and economic turmoil the blues of wondering why some children were orphaned the blues of wondering why there were so many children in the streets

Yes…

There were many children in the streets of the places I walked…

And by the way… when I say children, I mean people like you and I

People of all ages, all genders, all colors, all shapes, all abilities… PEOPLE

Yes…

There were many children wandering and wandering and wandering…

They were wandering… they are wandering… they may continue to wander…

They wander the streets of Syracuse, Chicago, Cape Town, QwaQwa, Mbabane, and Maputo…

For some, because it was cool to hang out in the streets for many, because they were street children

They wander the roads of Kamanzi and Worawora for some, because these roads are filled with promises

For many, because these roads are filled with uncertainty

It is when I looked in the eyes of these children Children of the streets, masters and mistresses of their own destinies the mysteriously dark and gloomy destinies that we,

In the comfort of our relying in the destinies drawn from our faith in Jesus,

Cannot fathom the seemingly aimless destination of our traveling companions...

Yes, the destinations of those who have no sense of reliance on the daily comforts of the material world

They are involuntarily wandering and yet… not always wondering because they have answers to questions I do not have answers to; they have questions to answers I have no questions to They have walked in places I have never dared to walk

I have walked in places they have not been privileged to walk

See... In moments when such realizations emerge in the trepidations of my innermost being

Those moments inundated in fears, anxieties, unrests… Moments when soul meets blues and my world becomes rhythmic… again yes, rhythmic because I finally get it I get it, I get it, I GET it! No... Maybe… but only MAYBE I get it…

In introspection I feel as though I finally grasp, even if ONLY in part I grasp glimpses of my purpose and calling

The purpose and calling to live wrestling with such difficult and complex paradoxes that I can be enlightened about the difference between…

Having and not having,

Giving and not giving,

Knowing and not knowing,

Feeling and not feeling,

Seeing and not seeing,

Hearing and not hearing,

The difference between…

Being heard and not being heard,

Being seen and not being seen,

Being felt and not being felt,

Being known and not being known,

Being given and not being given

It is in this moment when blues meets rhythm,

That my soulful Jesus-bound-love-driven mission is born because I feel as though I know why I met you

I feel as though I know you, yes you

I know you because whether I like it or not our destinies are tied together

Yes, and guess what?! Where your blues meets your rhythm, you are soul and so am I

There you have it… you are soul, I am soul

There you have it… you and I are the same

You are me!

Because you are me

It does not matter what streets you belong to

What knowledge you possess

What language you speak

What color you are

What continent you live in

Because you are me

Our heart is here… experiencing the blues and the rhythm of Syracuse

Our heart is in the long travelled roads of Kamanzi and Worawora

Feeling the joy of nature nurturing our whole being,

Feeling the hardship of nature refusing our being

We are here and there, knowing that today we are strong and alive

We are here and there, not knowing if tomorrow we’ll survive

It is in this moment when blues meets rhythm,

That I finally grasp the concept of this soulful Jesus-bound-love-driven mission

A mission that commissions me to love you

A mission that commissions me to first, but not only, love myself

Because unless I journey through loving myself,

There is no way I can love you, give to you, share with you, be with you …

How can I? You and I are soul

The embodiment of divine mission

The actors and the acted upon in this love-driven mission

Yes… yes… yes… we are called to love… to mission!