The ancient African Proverb reads: “He that does not learn the lessons of his past will surely suffer a greater peril in his future”.
Many years ago, in the heart of the African continent, a tribe of wanderers came upon a rich and beautiful land where the people were trustworthy, honest, and openly accepted all newcomers. Their way was characterized by their desire to work collaboratively and so they naturally assumed everyone was like that. The newcomers were welcomed into the homes and minds of the people of that land and soon they shared all the richness and wealth of the land. “Surely”, the people thought, “these people are our Brothers and our Sisters; we do not own the land for it belongs to no one yet it belongs to all”.
The newcomers had journeyed to discover this new land for many months, wanting to escape the hardships of their oppression. As they journeyed upon the unknown land they agreed that when they finally found a place to call home, they would never again allow themselves to be treated unjustly, or held down as subservient to another. This was their most treasured secret and, because it was vile and selfish, it began to eat away at the core of their virtue.
As time went on the newcomers integrated into the society and slowly began to plot against the peaceful people of the land. They learned the laws and customs of the people and found ways to exploit them, pitting one person against the other. Through trickery and deceit they worked their way up the ranks until one day they began to marry the daughters of the now troubled King. After some time all six of his daughters were wed to six of the newcomers, who were then so deeply immersed in the society the King had no idea that all the problems he was forced to deal with were caused by these very people.
The society because unsettled and before long petty arguments became fights that pit one family against the next. The Elders of the community were quite troubled and found it perplexing that the harder they tried to assert their will to maintain peace and harmony, it seemed things got worse. They finally began to see there was something afoul at play and, after carefully observing the dealings of those surrounding the King, they understood the problem.
One night, in the privacy of the Kings inner chamber, the Elders brought the subject up and to their surprise the King admitted it was true. “How can it be that you see these things yet do nothing to stop them?” they asked. The King stood and turned his back to them in shame. In a lowered voice he said, “I have come to know that I have failed my people. I have allowed a wicked corruption to enter into my home and the land, and ruin what once was. It is true, these things you have said, it is true. And yet I have no will to act against those who have brought this misery to us. Our customs require that I yield my will as King to the wills of the husbands of my Daughters, and it is they who have prepared me to meet the great creator.” And with that he fell to the ground and died.
The Elders, now knowing a great change would come into existence came together one last time and decided their time of service to their people had come to an end. They bid one another farewell and left the land, never again the return.
As word of the Kings death and the departure of the Elders came to the people fighting increased and the land was wreaked. The beautiful forests became sick. The crops were ravaged by pestilence and disease, the water soured and people became sick. After months of torment and fighting the people began to cry out for help. They were all so frightened they went to the six new rulers and pleaded for them to end the fighting. They promised to live according to the rule of law no matter what it meant because anything was better than what they were forced to now endure.
The new rulers smiled within, knowing they finally had achieved that which they so desperately wanted. They promised the people they would go into council and decide what to do next, and then let the people know. And that they did…
An old blind man was among the people. The land was his home; the place of all his greatest memories, and just as it was part of him, he was part of it. He had decided he loved the land so dearly he would do everything possible to understand why there was such turmoil in the land, and to fix what he could, if possible. He had nowhere else to go so when the people left the courtyard to wait being summoned, he chose to stay.
A day passed and no word from the new rulers. Two, three… finally, after a week the new rulers appeared and word went out to gather the people. In short order the courtyard filled and the rulers spoke. “You have asked that we bring an end to the warfare in the land. You have asked that we deliver to you a better way of living, that we do what we can to relieve your burdens. You have promised to abide by our ruling in exchange for this gift that we bring to you”, they said. The people eagerly agreed. “Then this is what you must do”, they said… “You must put aside your beliefs and embrace ours, you must pay tribune to us in the currency of our choosing, you must adopt a new language and become loyal to us. You have only this moment in time to choose. We control the fighters, we control the food, we control the commerce. Choose to be with us and you shall have peace. Choose against us and you will be banished.”
The people could not believe the price they would have to pay for peace. They had no inclination that their behaviors would cost them so much and because they had spent so much time fighting one another for so long they had no power to stand against the will of the new rulers.
The old man perked up a bit, leaning his head to the side. He stood erect and slowly walked up to the rulers as they stood in their splendor. “It is now clear to me why my Spirit has been so troubled. I must thank you for making the truth of this matter clear. For if I were to give up so much I would become no more than a slave to you. And if I choose to reject your offer then I would sacrifice my presence in this land. I see now, that we are all betrayed.” He then turned to the gathering of people and said to them in earnest. “I see now that we have also betrayed us”, he said.
The gathered crowd went silent, allowing the words that were spoken to penetrate their minds. Slowly, at first, then more quickly the people began to speak up against the offer until finally they were forced into silence.
“We see there are those of you who wish to demean our offer of salvation. Therefore you may go. But know this, should you ever be found in this land you will be killed”, said the rulers.
And that was it. Of all the many people of the land, most of the people were too afraid to leave for they had become too dependent upon the rulers of the land and they had lost their connection to one another. Only a few chose to leave and of those few no word has ever been heard. Some say they left the land and found a place of peace and harmony and there they remain, other say they wandered the land for many years plotting to one day return and overthrow the corrupt rulers, still others say they never made it out of the land because the rulers had the fighters attack and kill everyone, save the old man who got away and still searches for a place to call home.
All of the others who chose to stay lived a life that worsened with each passing year. More and more rules were thrust upon them; the ways of life from earlier years became a distant memory as they toiled each day simply to survive. The rulers became rich and famous off the land and off their labor while the people grew weaker, less organized, and less trusting. After a time the land became as barren and lifeless as the people, and unsustainable. It became sick because of how it was exploited and because of the pain of the people who labored upon it.
And then one day what was once a rich and thriving culture with the potential to survive forever, and a with a history that was both glorious and inspiring, became nothing more than a memory in the minds of the few surviving people who refused to yield their will to the corrupt manipulations of those who stole their way into power.
Moral of the story: Look for the similarities, remember the lessons, live the future you choose.
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