Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare. Audry Lorde.
Hanging out with friends after a busy week is always a great way to unwind. I like how most of the time our discussions always end up in heated political debates about anything and everything. Talk about everything being political.
Living in a world with so many problems today and being a human being passionate about many struggles, I often find myself battling to do everything and wanting to be everywhere at the same time. Calling oneself and being an activist isn’t just political, I think it’s also about taking charge and being an advocate for positive change, this is a process and one that demands and can take a lot from an individual.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems like there is too much hatred going on; siblings divided, societies polarised along racial economic, political, cultural and religious lines. We now live in the times of impunity where savage internecine killings, injustices and growing inequalities are the order of the day.
Surely all this is likely to take a toll on those who care enough to worry, to take action to speak out. No wonder as an activist it becomes almost selfish, irrelevant to think of yourself, let alone your well-being. I’ve engaged in discussions with fellow activists who say dancing in the middle of a revolution is ludicrous. Their quick response is ‘how can one afford to sing and dance in face of all these calamities.
To dance is to take care of your well-being, to pause, take a deep breath and exhale. To look back at your life and evaluate your contributions to movements or struggles dear to you and acknowledge the achievements you and others have made. To dance is to celebrate yourself and others.
What has come to light to me over the past years is that you have to take care of yourself in order to be able to contribute to the struggles you are passionate about. Taking care of oneself is an act of love. I think loved people, me that love people just as hurt people, hurt people. Charity begins at home that home is my heart, mind and body.I have to learn to be kind to myself, if i am to be kind to others.
I have to avoid burn out, and resorting to stressful coping mechanism that may complicate my health subsequently affecting my engagement with others, my involvement and participation in the struggles dear to me. I think it is essential to revitalise the body, replenish the mind and to nourish the soul by doing the seemingly simple little yet magical things that always put a smile on my face, because , If I cant dance, it’s not my revolution