Our ancestors desire that we truly know this fact and what it implies…
…then decide.
Human civilization, in general, has been constructed in base ten. (We tend to think and count in cycles starting at zero – 0 – and ending at nine – 9.)
To elevate from the completion point of one cycle to the inception point of the next higher cycle, a reset is required. (When a whole number’s last digit is ‘9′, the next whole number naturally ends with a ‘0′.)
It is uncertain what will happen if the civilization that presently exists is somehow forced to avoid the reset. (What will happen if humanity attempts to jump from a ‘9′ directly to a ‘1′?)
———–
The above is just a fragment of an unusual thought sequence of mine.
Also, I finished reading The 9/11 Commission Report a day ago. I intend to share my thoughts about it in due time.
A certain human walked this Earth. He had a very dark complexion of skin. His physical built was not consistent with the standard for Western mainstream appeal. Yet, he had a mental resolve to sidestep any obstacles in the way of his goal. In the process, he commanded great respect from those he considered friends and those he considered foes. “Africa for the Africans” was his assertion. He never aimed to instigate war; he only wanted humanity to unite around the idea of justice for the Negro peoples. He was, indeed, a showman who managed to set some of the highest ideals and symbolic examples in Afro-centric history.
This man, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, insisted that he would return “in the whirlwind” after his passing. My overstanding is that the Whirlwind is figurative and it is here on Earth right now. The Whirlwind is the collective of 21st century revolutionaries who are not identified by any sub-race; these souls are, in fact, the truest representatives of the ideals of the human race. Assisting and existing among these humans is the spirit that once existed as Marcus Garvey.
That spirit, as Garvey, devoted a lot of energy to channeling its truths via the written word. Having secured enough of those truths in the permanence of widely distributed bodies of text, the re-emerged spirit is naturally more silent in its current incarnation, focusing on more covert works.
It is important to remember Marcus Garvey and be thankful for his efforts.
There is a popular, yet silly supposition that if the 13th day of a month happens to be a Friday, one must be prepared to experience unfortunate luck. The Universe certainly dispelled that myth two days ago when – as luck would have it? – my Being beheld the expressions of an Elder who calls herself Sister Joy. I feel compelled and obligated to share my recorded conversation with her.
For anyone who notices the activities in the background: the Manifesto|Jamaica team was setting up the Bookophilia venue for its fundraiser, ART’ical Exposure. Manifesto|Jamaica is a ‘for youth, by youth’ organization that works to empower people through the Arts and Culture.
There are six parts to my interview with Sister Joy; all are below in chronological order.
Today, I decided to follow the Jamaica Observer on Twitter. The first tweet I saw from the news source said, “New US ambassador to Jamaica confirmed,” accompanied by a link to the relevant Observer webpage.
What the article failed to highlight: Pamela E. Bridgewater was the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana for three years. Her stint there ended in 2008 and now she has been presented to Jamaica as a most timely Independence Day gift after one year and another half year of Ambassador-less existence.
I am very impressed by her and wish to learn more about her. I think the citizens and Diaspora of Jamaica should take some time to observe her.
In 2008, I went to Toronto, Canada for the first time to participate in this revolutionary movement called Ignite The Americas. Its aim was to build a strong network of youth leaders in the realm of Arts & Culture. With the support of the Organization of American States (OAS), a hardworking team of young, passionate humans planned a week-long discussion forum and also coordinated the applications and participation of worthy and equally passionate delegates from across the western hemisphere. The planning team consisted of mostly Canadians and five Regional Coordinators – one from Canada and the other four from Brazil, Colombia, USA and Jamaica. As the Universe would have it, I was the Jamaican Regional Coordinator.
Below is a video summary of what happened. I’m featured in it, especially in the first few minutes; I begin to speak at 1:18 and again at 2:36. (The video has subtitles in Spanish. A fully English version is available here.)
There’s nothing like experience. From Ignite The Americas, I left with a whole new perspective on the power of Arts & Culture, and all I had to do was wait one month and a half. My only concern was that no Cubans were allowed to participate, mainly due to the fact that the USA is a member of the OAS.
I had a dream some years ago. The circumstances of my existence were such that I had gone to bed with the intention of waking up the next morning to visit the nearest barbershop. I was unemployed, all my savings were depleted and I had lost practically all hope of finding a job with my locks in full effect. So I went to bed with the conviction that it was time to stop being rebellious.
Shortly before returning from that other dimension, I started dreaming that I was a university student intending to drop out of school. I was soon invited to enter a limousine; the only reason I obliged was because I found the person’s character to be trustworthy. It was H.I.M. Haile Selassie I.
As we were driven through the countryside, the last Emperor of Ethiopia, in his capacity as dean of the university, told me that he would prefer if I continued my studies. He said it was entirely my choice but he had an interest in me staying one and a half month longer. At that point, I was shown a series of images with serious implications before Selassie I left my presence. The dream ended and I awoke to bright sunlight; I decided against cutting my hair, at least for the next month and a half.
Forty-three days later signaled a most memorable turning point in my life, the effects of which I still feel now. Since then, I have associated great significance to the name and likeness of Haile Selassie I. If my hair is ever cut or my rebel ways ever tamed, I will likely still have reverence for the ‘Power of the Trinity.’
I have been on this quest for Truth for a while. It is a vague thing to search for, this Truth with a capital ‘T’; where does one begin to look for it?
My process began with random reading. It involved a raw thirst for all knowledge that I found interesting and that could be processed in the manner I was conditioned to process information. I was highly receptive to information contained in books, newspapers, magazines, websites and elsewhere. A significant period of time elapsed before I contemplated that books were compiled by humans and that few humans, if any, could know Truth in its entirety.
Human personalities differ in a way that suggests we have different aptitudes for Truth. Each has his truth; each has her truth. I used to have a strong belief that my truth was the Truth and I tended to be very forceful with expressing my truth. Although I was genuinely trying to help others with my knowledge, I soon realized that others could express opinions that differed from mine – maybe opposite to mine at times – and I would find a level of Truth in those expressions.
The key is to remember that expressions are generally imperfect; no matter how hard we might attempt to relay our truths with clarity, we must realize the woeful inadequacy of languages and other practiced methods of communication. I have a duty to filter the expressions of others; others have a duty to filter my expressions. Truth is to be discovered from within and without.
Now I stand confident in the fragments of Truth that I have discovered. Simultaneously, I make an effort to be more respectful of others so that I may learn from the fragments of Truth that they have discovered in their lives. This brings to mind the following utterance, attributed to the illustrious ancestor known as Haile Selassie I:
“What life has taught me, I will share with those who wish to learn.”
