Let us all, together, struggle for the New South Africa - Happy new year (2016)

It is a new year. Of course nothing is different from yesterday. However, there is something special about a marker in time, a change of dates; it allows one to reflect, to take stock and to resolve to live more intently, perhaps even differently, beyond that point.

We ushered in the new year with friends. We talked, laughed, prayed, and even argued. I guess that there was hardly a gathering in South Africa that didn't have some conversation about the challenges we face in South Africa - many of which were exposed in 2015. We remain economically unequal. We remain divided by race and class. We remain suspicious and fearful of one another. We long for change.

I said to my family and friends that my commitment in the year ahead would be to work more ardently for the common good of all South Africans, and for South Africa. I am inspired by the following quote from Desmond Tutu's sermon at the funeral service of slain anti-Apartheid activist Steve Biko in 1977:

We are experiencing the birth pangs of a new South Africa, a free South Africa, where all of us, Black and White together, will walk tall, where all of us, Black and White together, will hold hands as we stride forth on the Freedom March to usher in the new South Africa where people will matter because they are human beings made in the image of God… for the sake of our children, Black and White together, let us dedicate ourselves anew to the struggle for the liberation of our beloved land, South Africa. Let us all, Black and White together, not be filled with despondency and despair. Let us Blacks not be filled with hatred and bitterness. For all of us, Black and White together, shall overcome, nay, indeed have already overcome.

- Desmond Tutu (at the funeral of Steve Biko in 1977).

The task may be challenging and complex. It will require courage, sacrifice, perhaps even robust engagement, and above all grace and love. But just because it is complex we must not, and should not, shy away from doing what we can do. We should find ways to address what we can see needs to be done. We must move from a modality of blame to a modality of working together for the common good.

Rich blessing to you and your family, your community and our people and land in 2016. May the end of 2016 show that we have laboured well and achieved much.

Hope is hearing the melody of the future. Faith is to dance to it.

- Rubem A. Alves (Brazilian educator and liberation theologian).

You don't need permission to do great things!

One of my favorite podcasts is 'Back to work' with Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin.  Merlin has one of the most creative (and distracted) minds I have ever encountered!  I am inspired and challenged by how he things about creativity, productivity and the courage to do things!

I have been asked a few times over the years how I've managed to publish books, or speak at certain events, or have an input into certain processes.  The simple answer is that at times I have just chosen to act!  You've heard me say it before "the difference between people who write and those who don't is that people who write, well, they just write".  The same goes for studies, action, and just about every other thing I've done.  I choose to act.  I act in spite of fears of failure, I act in spite of fearing that I may be missunderstood.  I act in spite of feeling tired, or overworked, or not adequite.  I just act...  It makes a difference.

Here is a video podcast I did reflecting on this process... I am of the mind that far too many great things don't happen because good people are waiting for 'permission' form someone else to do them!

Let me just say that I often fail.  I make more mistakes than getting things right!  But, every now and then, on that rare occassion when things just fall into place, I am so glad that I've chosen to act rather than waiting for the permission of others.

I'd love to hear your thoughts