How does a mother know when to let go and watch their child fail, knowing success will be just around the corner?

It has been quite a while since I've made any entries here. April has been such a busy month. I cannot believe that a couple months have flown by since I started this! During the last couple of weeks, I have met and reconnected with some amazing people. It is incredible how, when you are walking down the right path - your path - that you become so much more aware and receptive to the relationships that can have true meaning in your life....forcing yourself down a path of discomfort and apprehension, rarely are your senses open to truly appreciate what is around you....so thank you April, for bringing me in tune with my soul :-)

I attending a screening of The Last Survivor at the Atlanta Film Festival a week ago. It was an inspiring and motivational film about survivors of horrible atrocities including the Holocaust, the Rwanda and Darfur genocides and the horrible crimes of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The stories told by these four survivors both moved me and allowed me to rediscover the true meaning of resilience. There was a Q&A following the film and one gentleman commented on the message of hope that the movie tried to convey throughout. He said that although he was moved by their stories and was inspired by their individuals feats, he actually did NOT have a sense of hope for the future.... that be believed there really will continue to be genocides and crimes against humanity happening around the world for generations to come.... At first, this comment really upset me. I mean, honestly, it does still, but after pondering on it a bit, I do understand his perspective, but I choose to take a different one.... suppose everyone around the country just believed that slavery would never die; that women would never get the right to vote; that countries in utter turmoil, like Germany during the war, would never really see prosperity....then where would we all be? I was at first angered by this man's comment because I refuse to live in world where I just tell myself the horrible things happening will continue. Most people know I am quite the idealist....but really, I think we must convince ourselves these crimes will end, that our children's children may not have to suffer in a world where such hatred is spread like the plague. Ok, so yes, maybe I am the idealist. But if put effort toward trying to do something to make that ideal world a little closer, even if I know in my gut it may never be, well, then, I feel like I am doing something instead of settling...i guess it is like "The Secret" but that's a whole other entry in itself :-)

But, I must continue by sharing some views that I have recently heard expressed by numerous individuals which I have come to respect and believe to be equally true...the hardships in Africa can really only be truly transformed from the inside-out. As individuals inspired to provide aid and support to developing communities, we must equally ask ourselves, are our actions perpetuating the reliance of individuals on the western countries to "save" them or are our efforts going towards improving a root cause?? Now, obviously there is no simple answer to this questions - humanitarians and economists have been pondering the options for years...not to mention the politics of it all. It may be a sad truth that the aid and effects of globalization that many of us may think is beneficial is really just aiding their dependence...

Now...must say that it is just in recent weeks of reading many interesting books and listening to fascinating speakers that these thoughts have really taken root. I look at the trip I am making to Rwanda....in my lifetime, I cannot see how this type of work could be viewed as a negative and I hope my above comments do not imply that. I am just trying to continue educating myself so I can act on rationale, and not simply on emotion. I feel inspired and confused and frustrated and optimistic that Africa - along with other developing nations - will move through their own phase of Enlightenment as every developed nation has had to do. We cannot rush the growth of a nation. A child will fall numerous times before taking its first step, but we have to let go and see the child grow on its own at some point. If you continue to feed a child with your own hand, they will never learn to eat on their own... it may be our time to soon let go and watch failure from a distance so growth and maturity can take root...