THERE were smiles on her face and tears of joy as Coco Gauff won the US Open. She was given the mike as is the custom, and without a moment’s hesitation thanked God for giving her strength to do her best and beat the mighty opponent who she’d won against. In a few moments she was given a cheque for 3 million dollars but not before she also thanked all the people who did not believe in her!
Strange statement coming from a face without any hate, anger or rancour, because such is normally based on struggle, suppression and colour oppression. But in her thanking the very same, Coco was saying that those very challenges of suppression gave her muscle to beat world champ, Aryna Sabalenka. And the crowd applauded seeing her cheerful, smiling, God-thanking face!
It’s the face I’m going to concentrate on right now, because all around me as our country takes baby steps and quickly bigger steps into the world arena, we have leaders with faces full of anger and hate. They, also talk of those who tried to stop them, those who stood in our path as a country, for many centuries, but instead of acknowledging that this is how we developed muscle, these same leaders like generals leading a march past in a dictator’s country, try to show faces hard, ruthless and unmerciful to the cameraman!
It’s time to smile! Obama was the first African American president, and could have shown the world a stern, angry face full of resentment for past hurts to his people, but instead showed one of gentleness and compassion. It is time we learnt to do just that.
When we don’t and show unblinking eyes with no trace of a smile, we don’t show strength but the baggage of the past we carry, which is a huge sign of weakness. The most successful generals had the kindest faces but were ruthless in battle. They didn’t waste their energy, keeping their bow permanently taut, but bent the bow only when the arrow needed to fly, and strike. The smile seems to have disappeared from some of the faces of those who rule, and seemingly the feeling trying to be conveyed is, “See how tough we are! Beware!” Well, it was a smiling face that won the US Open, and one, which had faced hurts and taunts of those who stood in her way but used them as fuel for victory! Yes, dear friends, victory doesn’t come with those stern looks of hate you carry, nor the baggage that pulls you down, but comes in thanking historical insults and events for the unintentional push they gave..!
—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com
