Habari Gani? What's the news?
Imani - (i -MAH - nee)
Faith
Imani means faith.
We should strive to have faith in our people, families, and communities.
2020 really tested my faith...
It tested my faith in America
It tested my faith in common decency
It tested my faith in people's ability to tell the difference between reality and conspiracy theories
It tested my faith in people's willingness to learn
It tested my faith in my own ability to be patient, kind, understanding, or accepting.
(I am not typically good at the whole patient understanding thing, and I strive to be kind and accepting, but I am not always good at that either)
It tested my faith in the general whether or not America can survive itself.
Yes, my faith was tested, but it wasn't broken.
For all of the stories I watched or encountered about people tearing each other down, there were many more about people holding each other up.
Friends sent me facemasks at the beginning of this.
Healthcare workers went above and beyond!
People grasped each other's virtual hands and reached across the world to "embrace" each other.
Frontline (essential) workers in so many industries worked hard to keep things going.
Many people listened to science.
More people participated in our electoral process than ever in the history of our country.
I will focus on what moves our country forward, and continue to stand against those things that attempt to drag our country backward.
I will work to keep my faith in the universal human desire to be safe, have those we love be safe, and to care for those who need our help.
A quick story -
There was once a man who had a magic ring. He'd found it when he was young, and it changed his raucous ways and made him a pillar of the community.
He had three children. All of them were as raucous as he was in his youth.
The children didn't bother curbing their behavior. They all knew that someday their father would will one of them the ring, and that child will have the onerous task of caring for their siblings.
Well, the father - probably because of his misspent youth - died earlier than anyone could have expected.
The next day, each of the man's children came to the village elders. Each had been given golden rings with a note from the father claiming that THEY had the real ring.
A huge argument broke out amongst the children as each claimed they had the real ring. The villagers gathered and joined in the commotion.
How could they tell who had been given the real ring?
One of the elders came forward. "We need not worry about which has the true ring," she said. "We will look at their behavior. The one who has the actual ring will change."
Each of the man's children stared at their ring. As they did so, they realized that they were certain that their father had put his faith in them.
Their father had given the other two phony rings so they would not feel bad. Each of his children decided that they would have to work hard to be certain they cared for their siblings. their families, and the community.
The argument ended, and each of the young people returned home.
in years to come their neighbors were amazed. Nobody could tell which of the three had been given the true ring.
It is amazing how having faith in people can change them.
Happy New Year!
Take the Nguzo Saba with you ou every single day!
See you in story!
