A Heart of Love
Each of us has foundational memories of moments that shaped our paths, our thoughts, and our lives.?
The first seven years of my life found me in hospital as an almost permanent patient. The local schools refused my entrance stating that I would only prove to be a great distraction.
My parents both worked and looked after my older sister and younger brother. Providing full-time care to a sick child was difficult.??I spent my days while at home having bandages either removed from my skin or placed on my skin – head to toe.
?At night I would lay in my twin bed with my ankles and wrists tied to the bed frame with dog collars.?I believe this was so I would not remove the bandages during the night.?It was hard to not move, fix my pillow, pull up my blanket, or roll to either side.?I lived like this for years.
My parents were notified of an All-Girl Boarding School that looked after sick children and so, on my 7th birthday I was sent to live at the boarding school.?
The school was run by an extremely strict Head Mistress, and we were trained in a repetitive militant format.?All our activities and chores were monitored closely, perfection was the goal.
I was quite fond of my school studies with English and Geography being at the top of my favourite list. It was during a geography class that our teacher decided to introduce us to a Globe.?The globe seemed large at the time with unique and intriguing colors and lines.?We all gathered around as the teacher swiveled it in her hands so we could view it from all angles.?It was amazing.
I was mesmerized by this thing that spun and revealed a visual world. The colours, and lines, terrain, and dots outlined by blue were a lot to absorb.?The teacher pointed to my country and then to my county and then to my city and then to the tiniest dot that was close to where we were standing at that very moment.?We all watched in awe and listened intently.?
Such were the days before Google Earth.?
We were allowed to ask questions. My hand jolted into the air and waved with excitement.
I asked: "what are all the lines for?"?
The Teacher answered: "the lines divided the countries and were called borders."?
I asked: "what are borders?"?
The teacher replied with: "they are set up so people cannot cross over into places they did not belong."?
That was hard for me to process. Starring at the globe it did not look hard to cross a tiny line.??
She went on to say that the earth was filled with people - everywhere - except the ocean and dense forests and other uninhabitable places.?Her finger pointed to big dots and small dots and even smaller dots.?Those dots were filled with people, she said – every one of them.?
?I remember this conversation like it was yesterday.?I stared at the globe for a little while longer and then asked to hold it.?The teacher let everyone hold the globe.
When it was my time to hold the globe, I felt so happy about all the people living on it, that I wrapped my arms around it and gave it the best hug I could give it.?The teacher laughed and asked me what I was doing.?I replied with a detailed answer and explained that it was all the people in the world I was hugging, not just the globe; I could hug them all at once.?
Every day when we had class in that room, I hugged that globe and bid the inhabitants a great day.?I did not realize at the time, my heart was filling with love and regardless of what life would bring my way; despite the debris that may fall on top, it could not remove the foundational memory that would mark and shape my life.?
I still have a globe on my desk and one for my hand that is easy to carry (I can even squeeze this one).?
?I remember my hugs and all the love I wanted to give the people on the globe.?At 7, I had yet to learn about wars, poverty, disease, and death.?Love was all I had and that ruled my actions.?By the time I was 8 years old, I was bathing, looking after, and comforting those younger than myself.
That globe changed my life.?It forged a path in my heart for all nations.?It was a geography lesson that set sail in my spirit towards the diversity of humankind and birthed a true love for cultures around the world.?A love that has opened international friendships I would never forego now.?
While I was faced with adversity, infliction, overwhelming pain, and left without family, it all led me to that classroom, to that globe, and on to a world of vibrant cultural colour, inspiring stories, and breath-taking scenery.?
Love is a substance that creates an environment where things can grow, prosper, and reproduce. (MM)
I am human and some days it is difficult to muster up a warm fuzzy, let alone a mountain of love but that is okay.?Cultivation and tilling of soil take time for it to become soil that can produce abundant healthy growth of whatever is planted. ?
Under the Debris is a heart filled with love.
I want to know you too – let us share our stories and build our network through love!
Maya-Melé
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