My kids derserve the world. Not just Zambia, not just the continent of Africa, but the whole wide world. I want them to see the places my eyes have gotten to see. I want them to experience it all.
The thing is, they might not want that too. Their world, compact in only village life can be, may just be their own personal oyster. A beautiful oyster with a magical pearl and everything. There are plenty of pearls here, to be sure. There are loyal, tight-knit families, thicker than blood, thicker than thieves best friends, and their home that is practically bursting with beauty and opportunities to play. Everywhere you look there are kids never alone, always with another, looking for trouble. They climb high trees with great ease, pluck fruit off bushes, draw in the sand, and kicks balls wound tight of plastic bags. The word of Chalwe, my village, is play (an alternative word is gossip, but that’s another story for another day). In class we play together, I go home and we play some more. We play all day (except I’m a tired twenty-something who can’t keep up). These kids are play monsters, I tell you. So if I could give them the world, yes surely I would, but would they still get to play all day? This I’m not sure. All over the world kids play everyday. I guess my problem is one day, these kids will grow up and some of them will see the world and some of them won’t. I cannot say if it’s better to see more of the world or it it’s better to not. These are things where what anyone says is not the most certain truth. Everyone has their opinions. My own has been changed. A few months ago I would have given a child, a playful child here in Chalwe, the whole world if I could. Now, Now I just want the worlds that they live in to be good ones. Worlds that are safe, generous, nurturing and full of play. You don’t have to travel the world to get that. You never did. Some of them may leave Chalwe, but still I hope their world is full of happiness and play, just the same as I hope for those who stay.
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Author's note:Hi, I'm Helen. Welcome to Lifted ~ I write to lift myself up. Archives
March 2021
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