All the emotions could not be held back. I mean all!
We cried, we ran away
from home, we left food un-eaten, the dishes were not washed for an entire
night, the pet pussy-cat (Binta) also sensed she was gone!
I woke up late in the night to check whether the doors are locked tight (which I do a lot) and found the cat just right there at the door threshold. I am allergic to cats and I run (I do not know swear words, but if I knew I could use them then) away from this particular one.
But, guess what? I approached Binta with dread and my mind giving me these images of horror, but good enough the cat senses positive energy! Binta tensed into a bundle of fur when my shaky palms lifted and deposited it upon the warm cushion I had made.
Scratch, scratch.......Now, I am paying for I immediately got the itch, but luckily enough I
have taken anti-histamines!
Wait where was I????
Mother Nature!
She left us for the USA!
Mother Nature (Raymond Brian Ssebyala)? Yes!
Okitegeera? Banange!
The epitome of how
refugees can contribute to the good of self, others and communities is lived by
Mother Nature. A bearded mother!
Mother Nature has a
kind of love that can be divided in bits and all of us can get a full measure.
She survives!
One time we were
working on a long report and she received 5 calls in between! Mother Nature
this, Mother Nature that……. She reassured all of them and all the while we
worked on the report and completed it at around 3:00 am! Pheeewww! It takes a
certain gift with people!
Mother Nature has her
bestest pal! We shall call this bestest, bead eyes (Maaso ndege or Maaso mbira)!
For reasons of confidentiality I cannot write the names here.
“……...I am sad that you
are leaving, but I am also happier you have come to that point of life that
brought all of us here. So, I wish the best for you even if my heart is on fire
and being torn apart, it will heal. I thank you for being there for me and all
of us….Nature, I wish you all the best…,” thus said Maaso ndege!
Then there was the
mentor (old school tough love type):
“…….. I have loved this
community to the point that I never feared the consequences of the choice
between being disowned and disinherited and being seen with this community. I
am willing to train many of you in strategic quality life-span visioning so
that our collective self-esteem is high up there. Also we need to have replacements.
I am so glad I have these two to count on (Mother Nature and Maaso mbira)!”
Wasswa Chris:
“Thank you so much,
Mother Nature for being there for us!”
Ssenga:
“……mwana wange gyira
tutegeke case zzo…ate vva ku ssimu kubanga njagala webake mangu anti enkya
tukeera…...” I was asked to translate this: “My daughter… put down that phone
of yours. We need to pack and after get you to bed. We have to wake up earlier
tomorrow and see you off at the airport!”
Vanilla:
“…… you are the true
Mother and you nurtured all of us. We went through your guiding arms…”
Doreen:
“……safe journey Mother
Nature…Omubatiza!”
Someone:
"...someone with whom I could cry to, we could cry, shed real tears of pain and eventually resolve to make it in life..."
Many others:
" ......whaaaattttt? Mother Nature? Our Mother?...."
But what is that which
makes us face up with sad-yet-happy moments?
It
could be that the eyes, memory, ears and the entire body is involved in the
events. Our agency to engage in the affairs of showing love; our participation
in getting back the smile and collective cries of joy are rewards that motivate
us. It is the nectar of life! Sad-yet-happy moments make us see our authentic
human self.
One of
us is going to USA! We immersed ourselves in bathing in the knowledge that is
an endearing blend of confusion and the reassurance that everyone is okay because
one of us was leaving for USA.
We got
into a vehicle to accompany Mother Nature to the staging area organised by a refugee
resettlement and reparation organisation going by the acronym IOM from where
Mother Nature was transported to the airport. Ha! The rituals!
The accompanying-at the–same-time-grief ritual; taking all those pictures with all of
us next to Mother Nature; in our case all this was Divine too, a sacrament of
love that helped us get through the sense we felt and the knowledge that we are
find of Mother Nature and want the best for her too. We know so well how women
feel when their children go away. After all we are women-men; men-women ourselves!
Hahahahaha!
Mother
Nature is a full figure in our lives. This knowledge is the reality that
reassures us. We find our human nature in Mother Nature.
We
have learnt to integrate positive or negative experiences in our lives at the
Nature Network and this has enabled us acquire gumption and stoic.
We
have used these two to turn negative experiences into positive ones. That is
why we are unique and you will never find us disparaging each other. We are the
ones who made the pact of never “negativising” ourselves and those
we share the safe spaces we find ourselves in. We are for “positivising” each
other. We look for positives. We show-case resilience and it pays. We have seen
this in the departure of Mother Nature for USA. So, we are hopeful that things
turn out to be good when one embraces goodness! We get the positive vibes!
What
is the magic behind Mother Nature?
Well,
the answer is also possible to give when one considers that we
are set in the community of positive vibes: unconditional,
uncritical positive feedback to each and every one. We have our
formation circles under the Family Based Therapy Model (FBTM) which has prepared
us so well. What we say during our weekly reviews remains within our circle.
Mother Nature has made sure that we follow our schedules to commit to good
conduct. We are for: cooperation, reliability, dependability, respectability
and trust. Mother Nature has reminded us of that and lived it by example. So,
this is how we are always reminded and we see Mother Nature as a catalyst for
continued positive living. We are proud and we are happy Mother Nature has left
for USA. We are attached to our icon. It is not misnaming. Mother Nature is our
mother. A bearded mother!
We
feel Mother Nature because, of her leadership skills, neutrality, a sense of
directorship, unconditional love, a primary companion in whom we have confided
our linen-things, we have (gossiped about….oh, come on what else? All forms of men!);
she is a person in whom security and comfort are sourced, and our enduring
protégé.
Mother
Nature is cool-headed and is not shy to use dress to advocate for human
dignity. She is not about shouting matches, or drama, she levels the field.
Many have seen her wither battles and cool down simmering tensions. As well,
put on high heels, share a beer, water (for me) and dance ‘paka chini’ as they
say in Kiswahili!
If you
meet her in West Virginia, hug her!
Thank
you Mother Nature!
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