Sunday 8 December 2013

Dear Tata...

(This post first appeared on Men of Letters on December 6)

‘No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.’
- Long Walk to Freedom

Dearest Madiba

The world around seems to be abuzz. It started with the news early this morning. At first I was hardly moved. This changed and temptation drew my attention out into the world.

The spectacle has been both deeply moving and shameful. But then this land of ours seems to relish in its habit of juxtaposing the light and dark.

The strongest impulse was to turn it off, to be alone. But, like many the beating hearts of infinite reasons, I could not. And so it began with this somewhat cynical message, my contribution to the noise.