The book I am reading has had me in tears from all of the laughter, much to my wife’s amusement! It is titled, ‘Around Africa on my bicycle’ and is written by the hero of the story, Riaan Manser. Riaan is the mad chap who pedalled around our small continent a couple of years ago, a mere 36,000 kilometres.
Having spent a fair bit of time working in Africa over the last 18 months, I have a different appreciation for Africa and its people. That might be why I have found his commentary so amusing. It might also be that he has written a thoroughly humorous book!
One of his insights really struck me. He writes about the many people that he met along the way, most of whom were very poor. Yet he found them to be full of joy and incredibly generous with the little that they had. He wondered if most people who are well off have the joy of their material possessions but have perhaps lost the joy of life and the spirit of humanity that makes life wonderful.
I think it is entirely plausible that the wealthy have too much invested in wealth to risk losing it all to find true happiness and joy. Wealth continually breeds the need for more wealth, at the expense of everything else! The same is true of those with nothing who have much invested in their joy of life to risk losing it to find wealth. Although the opportunities to make the change are probably limited! Each side has something wonderful and yet it seems that finding the happy medium is incredibly difficult.
Is it possible that poverty can refer not only to material things but also to one's spirit?
Perhaps if you have managed to build a life that if filled with love, joy, complete peace of mind, and just enough to survive on; you have found the elusive Holy Grail?
2 comments:
Pleeeez come and be a guest blogger on my wee blog. I have some ideas...email me at info@redpepa.za.net. We need a male perspective.
With pleasure!! Although I may not always have the most commonly held male perspective...
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