The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

While I was unpacking and setting up the office in my new apartment, I came across "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. It took me back in time, standing in front of twenty pairs of anticipating six- and seven-year olds, wondering why I couldn't read the simple children's book without tears pooling in my own eyes.
The book is about a tree, a boy, and their relationship over time. It is about longing and desire, pain and selfless love. It is about giving every ounce of yourself and never losing sight of why you gave in the first place. But, it's also about realizing that, in the end, all the things you strive for might not hold as much promise as you put in them.
The tree, as the title implies, is a giving one, and it gave everything of itself from leaves to make a crown to fruit to eat to its trunk to make a boat for the boy to attempt to run away from his misfortune. Finally, however, the boy comes back a changed being. He wants nothing more from the tree- which is a stump now- but to sit and rest his weary bones. "'Well,' said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, 'well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.' And the boy did. And the tree was happy."
So, what is it about this simple, children's book that makes it hard to read without lumps forming in one's throat? It might be that, as I sat looking at its words and pictures, I wondered back over my own life. Pursuing what I thought would make me happy, overlooking people I shouldn't be, and garnering possessions in hopes of reaching the plateau of happiness and success. I realized who the "giving" trees were in my life and how ashamedly-similar the boy's actions were to mine. Maybe- just maybe- that's why the book has such an impact on me...in it are painful lessons for me...lessons, but also a warning to pay more attention to those who matter most and reciprocate their selfless love.
Instead of storing the book on the bookshelf, I put it on my desk, there to always act as a reminder whenever I begin to sweat the small stuff. There to remind me that life shouldn't always be about taking...that the source of giving is more important than what is given. To remind me to cherish the source and not the gift.
The lessons of the story might have been lost on my young class, but, I'm sure, with time they, too, will come to understand. Until then, whenever I get a chance, I will read them the story in hopes that if any of them is ever at the same juncture in life as I am, the book's magic will work for them, too. Then I'll be happy.

An Opposition Focus in Rwanda

Rwanda has experienced some turmoil since the beginning of the year when presidential hopeful Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza returned to the country after 16 years in exile. In the wake of her return, events quickly unfolded that, so far at least, seem to have pulled back the curtain to expose the true intent of the regime in Kigali. Supporters of the regime switched from singing its praises and how it was a "beacon" in the region, to claiming that Rwanda needs action at the moment more than it needs democracy. As a result, Kagame is now seen as hogging power and more of a dictator than a democratically-elected leader.
Kagame is a man of many admirers and about as many critics. Yet, to all, it is clear that he is not interested in a conventional democracy. The opposition, and many foreign critics, have jumped on this fact and called for him to step down, either voluntarily or through elections, to allow for a more democracy-conducive atmosphere. However, if there is no Kagame, who can take the reins in Rwanda and prevent what could possibly rival the 1994 genocide and its bloodshed?
The key- and what the opposition should be focused on- is targeting the average citizen to change their mindset. Many in the middle and upper social classes have a lot of interest vested in the current regime that they don't want to, or are afraid to, see things change. The average citizen, poor and largely uneducated beyond a few years of primary school, is the pawn without which the game cannot be won.
In 1994, the majority of the killings were not carried out by the army, but by regular people. The people were conditioned by a system of hate and paranoia that they were able to be exploited to achieve ends beneficial to a few strongmen. This same system that conditions them in this way, also, allows for the creation of strongmen such as Kagame.
The only way to retain power in such a system is to divide the citizens and play them against each other through fear-mongering. As soon as someone rises up to question the role of the RPF, the current ruling party in Kigali, they are accused of "genocide ideology," a law so vague and convoluted that if it had a genuine purpose, it has since been lost. The Tutsi population, which is still hurting from 1994, is afraid that the numerically-superior Hutu are biding their time to finish what they weren't able to finish. The Hutu look at the militarily-superior Tutsi and wonder when they will be fell upon in revenge. Both look to Kagame as a savior, and he relishes this role while allowing this climate of fear to fester.
This is why the focus should be on the system that creates such people as Kagame. The only way to change the system is to change the hearts and minds of the average citizens so that these exploitative tactics don't work with them. Only the people will be able to prevent the rise of divisive strongmen from their midst. They have to be able to speak up for their rights, and be willing to lose their lives in the process, rather than cower in fear.
Yes, to many Kagame is a savior, but even Jesus, after saving the world from sin, did not stick around physically forever. Kagame, too, can step aside assured that, after 16 years, he can still guide the country through his actions while he was at the top...if those actions merit that. To be a great president, you don't need to single-handedly bring development to your nation. You don't need to stay forever, and you definitely don't need to suppress the free expression of ideas. What you need is to inspire people to take their future in their hands. George Washington did not stay president forever even though he was offered the option. Thomas Sankara, in his brief 4 years as president, turned an impoverished country around by empowering the people to control their own fate by building their country. There are many like them, and they are what we need in Rwanda in order to attain true development.
Kagame might feel that the country is not ready to move on without him, but, like a parent of a teenager off to college for the first time, reality has to be faced. He has to trust that his guidance the past 16 years has settled into the minds of the people and that they will make good decisions based on that. Whether Rwanda succeeds or fails if he steps aside is unpredictable, what is predictable, however, is that Rwanda will suffer if he doesn't.
Not yet, however, not until the opposition has been able to change the system and the people are ready to be led by someone who doesn't require to be regarded as an overprotective parent. Then, and only then, will the successive rule of strongmen be over in Rwanda.

From a Rwandan to the World

Dear World,

Sixteen years ago, you watched as my home was torn to the ground, my neighbors, family, and friends hacked to death, and rivers flowed red with blood of innocent souls. Sixteen years ago, some of my family were vilified as savages while others were glorified as beacons of liberation. We were divided by the world and the standards of division are yet to escape your minds.

However, we want to move on. We don’t want to be judged and classified as cattle in a barn. If you look closely, you will see that we eat together, drink together, sing together, sleep together, and struggle together. Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa are terms dear to our cultural inheritance and not a hindrance to our pursuit of happiness and development. We are not just ready to move on, we have already moved on- moved on from the politics of exploitation, of hate, of insecurity and fear.

My people believe in a united Rwanda in which we are allowed to speak our minds, follow our hearts, and justice is dispensed equally without regard to ethnicity, region of origin, clan, gender, religion, or any other measure of differentiation. This is what we believe…don’t listen to those who profit from our weaknesses.  All that we ask you- the world- is that you stand with us; not pulling or pushing us, but beside us so we can all grow together. We are now asking you to look into our eyes and see, not only the pain, but also our infinite will to attain true independence from a past that has worked to alienate ourselves from each other.

We have died, we’ve been maimed. We have been left widows and orphans, but we have also been left with an undying desire to move on. We are tired of being hostages of our past…a past which you had a hand in imposing upon us. Now that our muscles are strained and our voices raised in efforts to lift the yoke on our shoulders, that very hand is busy suppressing our efforts. For now, our struggle continues, but, with each passing moment, we grow older, we grow stronger, we grow bolder.

In time you shall join us in genuine celebration. We shall welcome you and work together towards a better world. We shall laugh and eat and drink. We shall not talk of the past for it will be the future we will be beholden to. We shall sing and dance to the ballads of unity and prosperity. Songs shall flow lauding the overthrow of the exploiter. You and your sons and daughters shall hold our hands, and we shall do the same. Remember, however, that we will forgive, but we will not forget…history can never let us forget…lest it happens again.

Sincerely,

Rwandan