As we commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, there is an atmosphere of remembering fellow Rwandans who lost their lives.

It is usually not so easy to move on with it. I believe in what, "Tugomba kubaho, kandi neza,” said by H.E Paul Kagame. This quote translated, "We have to live peacefully,” by our president is uplifting and yes indeed we must LIVE! Where there is life, there is hope.

As the future of this country, we youth must live in unity as Rwandans, more to that; we must work and depend on our human resource.
We must learn to accept our history, live with it but not as slaves to it. We should lift our heads high and capitalise our resources and build our nation. It is possible.

In so doing, we will reach the climax of our potential and we shall bear fruit that even our grand-children will enjoy.

I remember a parable once told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule ‘braying’ or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.

Instead, he called his neighbours together and told them what had happened and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbours continued shoveling the dirt that hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

«Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!» he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought «panic» and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You’re right! It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him, just because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT’S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US! Remember that FORGIVENESS--FAITH--PRAYER-- PRAISE and HOPE...all are excellent ways to «SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP» out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

Quote: "Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."

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