Hey y’all!
Thank you for being here. Today’s post is different: I have just ten questions extracted from my daily journal. Please, ponder them in your hearts and comments.
Consider this a peek into my conflicting thoughts. I have found the answers at some intervals of my life but, sometimes they don’t suffice.
0️⃣1️⃣ How is the why?
“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
―Friedrich Nietzsche
I’ve heard and come to believe in the notion that in life, one has to pick the pain they are willing to suffer. In life’s ups and downs, the downs’ are bearable if we’re willing to undergo them. For lack of a better term; purpose. If you find your purpose it becomes easy or rather bearable and meaningful to manoeuvre this life. It’s true of love; the most complicated of life’s pains and pleasures. We choose it, well, most of us, because it is something that we’re willing to sacrifice for and bear the possible suffering that may come with it. The purpose; is that which wakes you up in the morning, during the darkest of days, when non-existence may even seem a viable option. But, while many discover their purpose young and easy, some lead most of their lives not knowing what is their ‘why’.
Why so? Why is the why early for others, late for some and never for others? In the parable of the talents in the Bible, they were all given the talents and clearly could count them. Why is it that many have to traverse life without knowing what is it that is given to them? Or maybe we all know what our why is; that which lingers deep within, like a tiny flickering flame awaiting to be kindled wild ablaze, in the deep solitude darkness of the night? If so, how do we set it alight, and let it consume us so much that it is not wasted?
0️⃣2️⃣ Of Discipline: From whence does it manifest itself?
While it is true that discipline is the secret to achieving great things, it is one of the hardest things to master. Why state the obvious? Coming from a religious background, we’re told to cast our burdens unto Christ and he delivers. This, of course, assumes limited willpower in need of aid from the spiritual realm. In the same frame, it’s easy to acknowledge that the successful are driven by various factors: fear of inadequacy, desire to rise from their low estates, the need to prove to themselves and their non-believers that they can do it, the quest for millions, desire for power and freedom and so the list goes on. But, of the willpower that we possess, does discipline arise only from it or it’s safe to say there’s a force one needs to harness beyond that which he possesses? In Can’t Hurt Me, David Goggins portrays discipline as nothing but a mere decision one makes after having suffered grave mediocrity. It boils down to the individual as always, but what of those not running from anything or those dejected to a point that forward is unbearable? Is there no one, nothing coming to save them? I prefer the latter to be true in practice; that we are left to the freedom of our own wills, to elevate ourselves from the deepest dungeons of darkness but, also, a little hope wishes there be a messiah, be it in spirit or human form to propel us beyond our wildest imagination. The question remains, however: where does the greatest and highest form of discipline come from?
0️⃣3️⃣ Who am I?
At least Spiderman had an answer. But, seriously, who are we? What defines us? Do we even need to be defined? Do we choose our identities as much as they can also choose us? Can we escape or harness some of the merits and demerits of the lottery of birth? Given an opportunity, would we change who we are for someone else? Also at what cost? Why are we?
0️⃣4️⃣ What is the end to all this?
While touching grass one late afternoon, it occurred to me, like rain precipitating unannounced in sunny clear skies; what is the end to all this? We are born, go to school, work, work, if lucky: marry, bear children, watch them grow and give us grandchildren, if lucky again; travel the world then what? Or maybe the question is not to be asked at all? Is it better that there is than there is none? Is that enough?
It could be futile for a man to live his days asking what more is there to life than actually just living each day as it comes until death summons them. The question however remains: what is the end to all this?
0️⃣5️⃣ Of Aliens.
Exhibit 1: Alien Sightings in Ruwa Zimbabwe as documented in Encounters.
Now that we know aliens exist, what happens next? many people have not or do not bother to concern themselves with matters of extraterrestrial life. They consider such phenomena as not so immediate. I feel like it’s a new possible answer to the question of life on earth and the meaning of life in general. Philosophers of old battled with this for years and science or just random sightings have brought us here. Can we find better answers now? Do we even care for those answers given our unpreparedness to unlearn?
0️⃣6️⃣ Could dreams be the voice of God?
Think about all these random ideas that hit us while we’re in the shower or just going on randomly with our lives, minding our own business. Who puts them in our heads because oftentimes, great things are born from those ejaculatory thoughts? There’s probably a science to how we accumulate knowledge and inspiration from our everyday experiences and interactions but does that equal the genius of the burst of ideas that fill our minds every now and then? I’m not making a case for God, I just think…
0️⃣7️⃣ Of Water and Capitalism.
The big debate: Socialism or Capitalism. Most Americans hate any socialist or communist rhetoric. That’s okay, remain as you were. This is not a case for socialism, that’s a conversation for another day. It’s a contention the American application of superior logic or a cry for no encore. In the context of water in America, do we really need 15 different brands of water? Like really?Does the government lack the capacity to provide all of America or even the world with the cleanest and safest drinking water as these private companies do? Does the capitalist have to privatize everything to the most natural resource of all? Honestly, there’s something we’re not being told.
0️⃣8️⃣ What is the nature of love?
I don’t believe in the existence of soulmates. Sue me! The conflict is though; whether or not we are subjected to the external forces of love or whether we can instead choose to be taken by those forces. Do we even need to know how it manifests itself or, just as the Romantic comedies say, when you know you know?
0️⃣9️⃣ Do we really want to be alone?
It’s often said that solitude is where we discover who we really are, our deepest and truest selves. But do we really want to be in solitude? See, I grew up living with at least three siblings or cousins at one time. I went to boarding school for eleven years and everyone was always in everyone’s business. I lived in a community that relied on each other for many things. In America, unless you grow up with a community and define it as your people, everyone is just locked up indoors, hidden in their cubicle in the office, or just passing by wondering about their own lives. The small defined moments taken to ourselves may be important but I think that we just escape a lot of reality by being around a lot of friends and family until death finds us.
1️⃣0️⃣ For the reader?
What would it take for you to read this newsletter or any newsletter in general every week? What are you reading daily? What would it take for you to share this newsletter with a friend, what kind of story, analysis or commentary would propel you to invite a friend to take part in this newsletter? What do you think of this newsletter? What could make it better? Where could I improve? Or should I not quit my day job? Anything you feel, hit hard at me here? Thanks.
If you loved this please leave a comment or share your favorite part on social media. Don’t forget to check out my Instagram and Twitter. I give updates of exciting news on there.
Until next Monday, Peace and love ✌🏾💖
Deput novel Update: We’re on Chapter ten of the first draft. Maybe six more chapters, atleast 6pages each and we’ll be done. I’m basically in the second half and chipping away one day at a time.
Aluta Continua✊🏾
What I’m reading:
Harare North by Brian Chikwava and Why Nations Fail.
Background music:
Chilled Soulful Amapiano.
Favourite song of the week:
iPlan by Dlala Thukzin, Zaba, Sykes