Life really is a thing of great beauty!
I accidentally came across and read a wonderful tribute to someone (who judging by the tribute) was a incredible individual. The immense joy and intense pain in the tone of the tribute set me in deep thought about life and life’s ways.
I think much of my life I’ve been something of a ‘worrier’ but life teaches you to let go and just live in the moment. I now find joy in really ridiculous things like this young Arabic speaking couple who ride on our public transport and cannot stop touching and stealing kisses very early in the morning. They’re obviously married. The lady is all veiled up which makes it more fun to watch. It gives me joy because it is so contrary to images we see projected of people in Middle East and other Arab & Muslim countries. This just reminds us that we’re all the same. Two young people in love will do the same thing no matter where they are from.
Yesterday after a little power problem at work I got to leave work early (4pm) and thought I’d use the time productively and get my 7yr old his own camera so he can stay away from mine. Well off I went in the rain to a busy 44th and 5th Best Buy. Right outside the shop was a really long line of people waiting (in many cases soaked) for someone who I can only imagine must have been a high profile celebrity. In the rain! It’s not like there’s a job or money opportunity that came with this sighting. There’s something to be said for growing up in Uganda minus the ‘Stars’. I just don’t do ‘star struck’ at all. I’m inspired by a lot of successful people but never star struck.
I’ve been in NYC two years and I really am just starting to warm to life here. What an incredible place! I don’t mean the grand buildings (I’m yet to do the NYC sight seeing tour buses), crowds (although they have much to do with it) or even the fast pace. It’s the unbelievable range of experiences one can have here. From tasteful stuff like looking at historic and expensive art at the Met, fantastic restaurants (whatever cuisine you fancy) to ridiculously long lines waiting to get into most clubs (I’m way too old to do this), big (I mean humongous) rats in the subway to eating really crappy (and sometimes really great) food at the street corner. Life is never dull here.
So what’s not to like about life? If you’ve still got some breath in you, just look around you and there’s plenty to love about life.
Enjoying your musing…. blogging….not a huge fan of blogs, tend to think that they’re the stuff of self-absorbed people. My thing is what kind of person thinks people should care or care about what they think. But that you are most certainly not and the beauty of your blog is that as your friend who lives an ocean away I’ll get to feel closer by sharing your experiences.
So yes Ms Anyode-Ogolla….blog away!
NYC is indeed and incredible city. Vicky, Lilian and I met in central London for drinks yesterday and were saying the same thing about London. I think we forget to stop and smell the roses so often….and the banality of life takes over. Good luck with the writing…you’re an inspiration!
Looking forward to seeing you in Tuscany! Its going to be fab!
Mmmmmm Couple of weeks ago we went for our early morning Sunday service and I got to see/hear Vicky Yohe( I don’t know if any of you is familiar with that name?) sing and it was also my first time to hear about her. Then she gave us a brief background about her journey. She’s started an orphanage in UG, Jinja called New Destiny Academy- a home/ school for orphans. I applauded, appreciated and I had a general sense of gratefulness but for some reason I could not shake the trepidation. But anyway, so Bishop Dale Bronner( Pastor of our church) tells us that she’s gonna do a live recording of her DVD/CD on the 18th. I felt so excited and frankly had all the intention of inviting as many Ugandans as I could to my church for this recording since it was even a Saturday and more so for them to support the cause for our country and to enjoy the presence of God in worship..
After service I found an opportunity to speak with her so I joined the line ( not a long one- just one person ahead of me) and introduced myself as a Ugandan-probably the only one at that church which is predominanlty African-American. Now, this is why I started to tell this story, when I introduced myself as a Ugandan, I didn’t get the reaction I expected. She kind of just brushed me off and gave me some paper work and was like …” oh what part of Uganda do you come from?” Well, I couldn’t tell her I’m from Lumino which I’d have totally loved to do but I figured I might totally confuse her so I simply said Kampala where, anyway, I was born and raised. And she was like,” well, we’re in Jinja” and that was the end of the conversation. I mentioned it to my husband and we concluded that maybe being a christian she’s just being impartial but I still couldn’t shake the discomfort I felt. The normal reaction would have been something like,” oh that’s so wonderful, what are the odds of meeting someone from Uganda, here at Word of Faith? How long have you been in the US?” and general gab about Ug etc…..NOTHING.
So, anyway, I tell some Ug friends of mine and their conclusion was she didn’t want a Ugandan, here in the US to know her Biz or whatever it is they’re upto. As we all know, most of these people use “3rd world” countries for all sorts of things. I’m not denying that she’s doing a very good thing but I think there’s more to the story, there’s always an ulterior motive. I don’t usually trust certain kind of Charity. That’s just how I am.
But,we did go for the recording on Sat and personally I didn’t feel the presence of God/ HolySpirit but then again I thought perhaps because I was already biased, so maybe my heart was not open? But my hsuband didn’t feel it either, then again, he’s my husband but we went with another friend who is so spirit filled that she claims to feel the slightest presence of the HolySpirit but she felt nothing too. Now, this is what totally baffled me. Remember I thought she disregarded me because she was imaprtial? Well….. she started introducing all these “big” personalities from TBN, some famous band( Like Irene,I’m not too familiar with celebrities and frankly I don’t care much for them or their fame either, especially the Christina who glow in it-they absolutely turn me off.), how she’s being nominated for a grammy award etc. I was like “ha” so there is a reason why she didn’t acknowledge my Uganda affiliation. But what’s that reason? Here is what I think it is: She said it costs them $15,000 a month to run the orphanage.$15K a month!!!! I don’t believe it. She wants the kids to eat on linen table cloths and linen napkins( I don’t even use these in my home)- like this makes the food taste better? She wants them to know what it feels like to tear a tag off a brand new outfit-millions of Americans shop at Goodwill and many other thrift stores……. anyway, bottom line, I didn’t buy her intentions at all…….
Tell me, have I become too critical about these “money evangelicals?” Have I become such a skeptic that it’s blinded me so I cannot see or even know selflessness when it stares me in the face? Or have I become too cynical, perhaps?……I wonder…….
Hey, i am back
i gave your blog link to a fellow blogger in “outside countries” just like you!
in turn i should drop you hers..
http://mamamich-mjay.blogspot.com
is her spot!
Pass by and share her episodes too!
And here I am.
I like the analogy on NYC, definitely – it’s got it all.
Welcome to blog world, will pass by again real soon.