My Friend James

I have a friend; his name is James.?

James chose to follow a life path over the last few years that I was privileged to closely observe from the side-lines.??

This journey that James decided to embark on meant that he had to leave behind a high paying salary and a golden path towards personal riches. It led him towards national duty and away from time with his loved ones. This path led him straight into the middle of the?Arena.

I watched his journey with great intend as it stirred in my own soul a calling for the greater good.?

James is not alone.??There are others like him who walked away from private sector and international opportunities to attach their life’s purpose not to their own anymore, but to the national purpose.??To your and my and our children’s future.?

With public service comes public scrutiny, exactly like it should, but very soon I realised that the size of the dream was too big for some, and the knives came out.?

Almost as if we say: “How dare you stick your neck out, how dare you be brilliant?”?

Cynicism gave birth to comments like: “Surely no one like that can do this for the greater good, no way! They must be corrupt.”?

So, we criticise and bash just for in case they have bad intentions. Guilty until proven innocent. “Did you hear, James is being investigated for having received bribe money from so and so…”

Again, public scrutiny is fundamental to a healthy democracy. Public resources belong to all of us and must be used to address the plight of the most vulnerable first. As a Republic- of the people for the people- we must keep our public servants accountable, but surely it must be at least to some extent fair and consistent? I also get the impression that we as Namibians reserve that particularly nasty kind of gossip and character attacks, those that really hurt the most, for our own.

Why break down and attack those who actually get something done? All this while some other public servants who are mediocre at best, some leadership of SOEs who keep on making losses and who keep on getting bailed out with taxpayers’ money; well, they get off scot-free.?

My fellow Namibians, I get the distinct impression that sometimes we not only are willing to settle for mediocrity, maybe we actually prefer it.?

My friend James is not infallible, he makes mistakes, just like I do. I don’t always agree with him just as he does not always agree with me- just like it should be. But surely we can treat those who serve us with a level of dignity that opens the door for our children to consider this path an option for a purposeful life.??

In my personal capacity I passionately believe in the future of Namibia, and I try to be part of the solution for a better tomorrow. I have asked myself if I would be willing to one day, like my friend James, to join the public service, but surely if this is the treatment that I can expect, my impact from private sector would be much bigger? Ultimately it is not about being something, it is being about doing something.?

I see the unreasonable expectations and demands on his time. I see the real and detrimental impact all of this have on his family life, on his beautiful wife and children and I ask myself, is it worth it??

Some endure public scrutiny for the path that we have chosen in life, again that is how it should be. Most of that is helpful and constructive, some not so.??My own journey has however taught me to stay the course. I am lucky, I have an amazing team around me, and when criticism becomes unfair and personal, they remind me:

“It is one thing to study war and another to live the warriors life.”?Telamon of Arcadia

I will continue to support my friend James and any and all who try to make this beautiful country better. I will continue to provide constructive criticism and I will continue to support and cheer for those who do the same.??

So to all the James’ out there, I might not always agree with what you do, but I do respect your journey.

The famous words of Teddy Roosevelt ring so true regarding James and others like him.

The Man in the Arena

The poorest way to face life,

?is to face it with a sneer.?

There are many men who feel a kind of twisted pride in cynicism.?

There are many who confine themselves to criticism of the way others do what they themselves dare not even attempt.?

There is no more unhealthy being, no man less worthy of respect, than he who either really holds, or feigns to hold, an attitude of sneering disbelief towards all that is great and lofty, whether in achievement or in that noble effort which, even if it fails, come to second achievement.?

It is not the critic who counts;?

not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,?

or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.?

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,?

whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;?

who strives valiantly;?

who errs,?

who comes short again and again,?

because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;?

but who does actually strive to do the deeds;?

who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions;?

who spends himself in a worthy cause;?

who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,?

and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly,?

so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.?