Rhythm, Blues, and a Soulful Mission

© 2010 José Cossa

I was born in a land of rhythm
some blues, but mostly rhythm
Rhythm made me forget the blues

The blues of political instability and economic turmoil
the blues of wondering why some children were orphaned
the blues of wondering why there were so many children in the streets

Yes…
There were many children in the streets of the places I walked…
And by the way… when I say children, I mean people like you and I
People of all ages, all genders, all colors, all shapes, all abilities… PEOPLE

Yes…
There were many children wandering and wandering and wandering…
They were wandering… they are wandering… they may continue to wander…

They wander the streets of Syracuse, Chicago, Cape Town, QwaQwa, Mbabane, and Maputo…
For some, because it was cool to hang out in the streets
for many, because they were street children

They wander the roads of Kamanzi and Worawora
for some, because these roads are filled with promises
For many, because these roads are filled with uncertainty

It is when I looked in the eyes of these children
Children of the streets, masters and mistresses of their own destinies
the mysteriously dark and gloomy destinies that we,
In the comfort of our relying in the destinies drawn from our faith in Jesus,
Cannot fathom the seemingly aimless destination of our traveling companions...
Yes, the destinations of those who have no sense of reliance on the daily comforts of the material world
They are involuntarily wandering and yet… not always wondering because they have answers to questions I do not have answers to; they have questions to answers I have no questions to
They have walked in places I have never dared to walk
I have walked in places they have not been privileged to walk

See...
In moments when such realizations emerge in the trepidations of my innermost being
Those moments inundated in fears, anxieties, unrests…
Moments when soul meets blues and my world becomes rhythmic… again
yes, rhythmic because I finally get it
I get it, I get it, I GET it!
No... Maybe… but only MAYBE I get it…

In introspection I feel as though I finally grasp, even if ONLY in part
I grasp glimpses of my purpose and calling
The purpose and calling to live wrestling with such difficult and complex paradoxes
that I can be enlightened about the difference between…
Having and not having,
Giving and not giving,
Knowing and not knowing,
Feeling and not feeling,
Seeing and not seeing,
Hearing and not hearing,

The difference between…
Being heard and not being heard,
Being seen and not being seen,
Being felt and not being felt,
Being known and not being known,
Being given and not being given

It is in this moment when blues meets rhythm,
That my soulful Jesus-bound-love-driven mission is born
because I feel as though I know why I met you
I feel as though I know you, yes you
I know you because whether I like it or not our destinies are tied together
Yes, and guess what?! Where your blues meets your rhythm, you are soul and so am I
There you have it… you are soul, I am soul
There you have it… you and I are the same
You are me!

Because you are me
It does not matter what streets you belong to
What knowledge you possess
What language you speak
What color you are
What continent you live in

Because you are me
Our heart is here… experiencing the blues and the rhythm of Syracuse
Our heart is in the long travelled roads of Kamanzi and Worawora
Feeling the joy of nature nurturing our whole being,
Feeling the hardship of nature refusing our being
We are here and there, knowing that today we are strong and alive
We are here and there, not knowing if tomorrow we’ll survive

It is in this moment when blues meets rhythm,
That I finally grasp the concept of this soulful Jesus-bound-love-driven mission
A mission that commissions me to love you
A mission that commissions me to first, but not only, love myself
Because unless I journey through loving myself,
There is no way I can love you, give to you, share with you, be with you …
How can I? You and I are soul
The embodiment of divine mission
The actors and the acted upon in this love-driven mission
Yes… yes… yes… we are called to love… to mission!