I am, because of you. --Ubuntu

Several months ago I saw something about the concept of Ubuntu as I was scrolling through my social media feed. It caught my attention because it was so beautiful. The explanation I saw that day stated that in some places in South Africa people believe in the inherent goodness of all people. Based on that fundamental belief, their response to the mistakes of others is not to criticize or punish, but rather to uplift and support. Specifically, when one of the members of their community makes a mistake, the group surrounds the individual and spends two days telling him/her all of the good he/she has done, all of the ways in which the person has enriched their lives. The people choose to view mistakes not as character flaws but rather as cries for help, and the community responds by helping and supporting.

More recently I've learned more about the concept of Ubuntu. Rather than being an idea accepted by a small group of South Africans, as I believed based on the post I saw, it is actually a guiding principle shared by much of South Africa and other African countries. Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaks often of Ubuntu and has tried to translate it for Westerners. Interestingly, it does not translate easily. English does not have words that completely capture the concept. It may even be that within our rather individualized society, the concept itself is foreign enough that we have difficulty grasping it.

It is a concept well worth considering. Archbishop Tutu translated it as "I am, because of you," and "A person is a person through other persons". Essentially, Ubuntu captures our common humanity, it links all of us together. It teaches us that our life's purpose is to become authentic, genuine people and to realize our higher, human nature. We do this through harmonious, communal relationships with other people.

This puts us together with everyone, regardless of similarities and differences, regardless of strengths and weaknesses, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, religion, legal status, age, and any other way we separate ourselves from others. Our ultimate purpose is to see and experience our common humanity, with all other humans, even those from whom we desperately want to see ourselves as different.

Imagine if we could operate from this basic principle. Imagine how much happier and at peace we would feel, how much compassion and kindness we could bring to others. Perhaps one of the best gifts we can give ourselves is to simply believe in the goodness of others, to experience our common humanity, and to approach other people with compassion and kindness instead of judgment and criticism.

We really are all in this together. When we approach others with love and kindness we give these gifts to ourselves as well, simply because of our human connection. Today let’s look for opportunities to see others, to approach others, and to treat others with loving kindness, with compassion, within the context of a common human bond.

Namaste: The love and light in me sees the love and light in you.

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