LIVING LIFE : On Your Way Up

In one of the more popular Lucky Dube songs, he sung, “Be good to the people on your way up the ladder coz you will meet them on your way down.” Humans, at least most of us are obsessed with climbing their way to life. We want to grow and achieve. We seek success. In the process normally we build a reputation. Others want success at whatever cost. They are the doers but do not care about whom they destroy or what they wreck on their way up. They believe in the mantra, the need justifies the means. Most of us will spend our lifetimes building our reputations but if we are unlucky enough these reputations come crashing down in one day. The last few weeks, one of the most inspiring sports black personality and the richest sportsman as well has seen his life crashing down. After a simple but queer car crash at 2a.m, a list of mistresses blew up into his face as his wife to a French leave. Such is the beauty and ugliness of life. We have feted Woods as the perfect representative of black successful people but arte willing to dump him when we realize that like all of us, he is just a human who is prone to mistakes, many mistakes if we are to believe American tabloids, but then, that just makes him human. Sometimes it is very important that we forego certain ‘rights’ or undergo unfair treatment in order to maintain our reputations. Mahatma Gandhi, the iconic figure who basically brought the British Empire on the Indian subcontinent on its knees through nonviolence is one good example. He once told his followers that they should be ready to be struck at and perhaps be killed but should not match segregationist laws with violence but with open acknowledgement of their opposition and total nonviolence. It worked against the apartheid government in South Africa and against the colonial administration in India but for all his efforts, an assassin’s bullet ended his life of sacrifice. Nelson Mandela is another example of how someone’s will and reputation can bring a mighty evil government to its knees without anything but a strong personal resolve even while hidden in a far away island far away from the masses. In life sometimes it is easier to get things dome by running roughshod over everyone but when things go hay way those same people will be there to spite you or feel sympathy for you. So it is important to understand that you need to treat the people on your easy up the way you would like them to treat you. For Tiger, it is sad that so much dirt can turn up so much about the life of a once very admired public figure in a very short time. But sometimes, we make mistakes without thinking, perhaps out of anger. When Tiger stormed out of his house and his wife in the middle of the night, he probably thought he was just hurting his wife. In that one incident of rage, however, the lucky stars abandoned him and because of that one single moment, his reputation came crashing down. Whether he will save grace and his career, only time will tell. I wish you an interesting boxing day. kelviod@yahoo.com