Musings With Olulana: All Of Us Are Born Beautiful Despite Our Circumstances Of Birth

One of the dumbest things a person can do is to assume that circumstances of their birth make them more or less important than another human being. In my years on this planet, like everyone else I am sure, I have met extremely obnoxious people who only through God's decision find themselves members of influential families and because of that, turn their noses down at others, less fortunate than they are. I feel very sorry for them. The same emotions apply to those who feel that because they belong to a particular skin group or tribe out of the human race are superior to another human being.

 

All of us are born beautiful. 

 

I truly belive that. It does not matter how different babies look, as long as they are not hungry, cold, wet, too tired, lonely or sick, they will respond to their care givers with smiles and laughter… a show of love! As they grow older they express that even more and extend it to other people they get used to. All babies are lovely regardless of their race or any physical deformity they are born with. What determines how they turn out usually is the atmosphere in which they are nurtured. When they are loved and treated like they should be, those babies generally d evelop into people that are a blessing to their community.

 

When people start to treat others badly because they are different from them in some way, they are only saying that another human being is not as good as they are. Unfortunately, they are on the same path that led to slavery and most likely only the norms of our current society prevents them from actively carrying out that depraved practice! One big reason someone will enslave another person is because they feel that person is beneath their 'humanity'. Do people enslave their own children? Unfortunately the answer to that question is… maybe. Deviant minds have done that but they try to hide it from the society they live in. They know it is not right! When slavery in whatever form is practiced openly, the slave master believes the slave is a lower form of life.

 

Pimps who manage prostitutes are slave masters. So are employers that lock up their low wage employees in factories to ensure they work all night. People that use child labor are slave masters as are those who misuse their nannies and employees hired to help in the house. In some parts of the world, those employees are called 'houseboys' and 'housegirls' and are often horribly treated. People who pay illegal immigrants wages they cannot live on are slave masters. What is the common thread here? All slave masters are exploiting another human being!

 

Each one of these people who are being treated in subhuman ways is someone's child. They were once babies. Lovely, beautiful babies. Are they the abnormal ones? Who really is different here? The normal thing is to love everyone. Little children do this naturally in pre-school. Watch them play with each other if you can and you will see that the prejudices you and I may have do not factor at all. That is normal. The way it should be. The Asian child hugs an African child and the European child joins them laughing. Black or white, it does not matter! Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Ebira, or Nupe, they love each other genuinely. Those who are 'yellow' and all colors in between can join in. At our basic level, we are all the same. Our body parts are interchangeable. Organ transplants prove this to be true.

 

If the parents of those children are there at the pre-school and you observe them, you might notice disapproval on some faces. Back home, lessons in prejudice will start to be taught and soon those lovely children will begin to see the differences between themselves as a barrier and feel they are superior. It does not matter which race. It even happens within races… within tribes and even between extended families. How sad. So think about it. You are the abnormal one if you treat someone badly because they are different from you. Those little children started out right. You, the parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin or friend corrupted them as you were corrupted yourself!

 

That person you are mistreating was born… beautiful.

 

This poem I wrote a few months ago sums up the reality of those who do not realize that… all of us were born beautiful.

 

I Am Just A Man

 

In my eyes there are very few like me

So I walk like I own immortality

My reasoning has taken flight and set me free!

You must realize I will live my life and not at all passively

 

I am just a man!

 

A silver spoon was my springboard

Rules that others follow are not my due

Anything I do not like I simply jettison overboard

No one gives me a cue and I do not line in queues

 

I am just a man!

 

Looking around I see opportunities everywhere!

Sometimes I just amaze myself all by myself

It is very clear to me that I am in charge of my welfare

That is why I will not be placed on a shelf!

 

I am just a man! 

 

And then it happens! I look in the mirror

The image staring back just baffles me

I can not recognize the person so it must be an error

That is not the one I am supposed to be!

 

I am just a man!

 

Time has caught up as it must

I look back and see a life so misspent

looking around I realize I am mere dust

Soon I must give an account because I was sent!

 

I am just a man!