We are born to grow and develop ourselves and develop our minds. We are born to develop the boundaries of our minds and horizon and embrace others across the world. If we are men of little mind we cannot go far, our little minds will always create obstacles in our dealings with people because we have not expanded our minds to embrace new ideas. We have localized ourselves, unable to bring new information and new ideas to renovate ourselves.
We begin to live by the old myth that others are not like us and we indulge in old story of the past. The type of story our forefathers told when they were warming themselves near the fire. These stories resonated at their time. With education and sophistication we burry what does not profit us. We drop what creates divide. There are still few of us that still cling to the old past.
In spite of our education, we dance around that myth that creates divide. At social gatherings, you see the nuances of coming from the old forgotten myth. It irritates the mind to see that your brother is not comfortable with you. He only gives you plastic smile and a polite hand shake that does not show sprit-de corp. it is all empty show that leaves us where we were before. One would ask; what is the anthropology behind our fear of each other, with all our educational brush- ups? Do we need to consult our ancestors in the grave? No, they lived their own life and we should live our own life inspired by the values of Jesus Christ because the water of baptism is greater than blood. We don’t need to spend all our life building hate in us characterization and building walls instead of bridges.
We were born to be with others and confront each other for prosperous future. We don’t need to be the head of division nor be a part of the polarized world. We need to be a part of the globalized world. When we come together to share ideas and work out our differences, we don’t need to see each other as strangers. This does not hold now, we must come out of the crowd and make a statement not exclusive statement but inclusive statement, that we are, because Jesus reigns. We are because we have many challenges. With you and me, we confront tomorrow that is pregnant with meanings. We can never gain anything by retiring to our cocoons, rusticating with old ideas and indulge in primitive loyalty. We are of age, God demands a lot from us.
What brings us together is greater than the nuances created by little mind. As children of God, educated men, we must rise to create a future for our children. We should not let our children down by clinging to the past that has no relevance now. Many tried it but failed and they became dirty footnotes in history. We should pray that we never enter into a dispute with somebody more inferior to us. This is an extract from the former Prime minister of Canada, who came from Quebec, the French speaking part of Men of little mind Canada. Quebec has been trying to separate from Canada but have not succeeded. Each time they had referendum the result did not favour them. But Quebec has produced many Prime ministers than the English Canada.
Right now, the son of the former Prime Minister Mr. Truedau is the present Prime minister. We can see how life is, and how things happen to teach us lessons. But we are not paying attention because we do not want to. When we allow life to drift us, it can lead to a cul de sac where we cannot move again. We must let people be and not separating yourself from them.
“You are” and “they are” with the strength that comes from each of us we stand and make a big move that will surprise the world and the men of little mind who want us to remain in the same closet with them will be left behind. Never! Never, because there is a prize we pay for remaining the same. Let us strive to follow the globalized world than to be comfortable with the ideas of the past that yield divide.
• Very Rev. Monsignor Livinus Ukah is a Catholic Priest, Author of many books and Social Justice and Peace Advocate
