Kwanzaa | Ujima

"Collective Work & Responsibility"

To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together.

Last year, it was another selfish rant than actually talking about the true definition of  Ujima. Like the Kujichagulia post, I was partially on topic and then took the wrong turn and ended up somewhere else.

I like this principle the most, I think because it not only redefines Umoja/Unity but says that we can't do things alone and how if we help each other we can strive and become so much more. Unfortunately I'm the last person to be preaching on the subject, since I feel I don't need anyone. However I still appreciate it. I think if more people considered this particular notion and applied it, there wouldn't be so many heartaches, bitterness and unhappiness in the world. We would all be working together and investing in our future development and success in the world.

Thinking on this makes me ponder at the selfishness of the people today. Everyone's on a "tough luck, I got mine who cares about you and yours" attitude that we inflict harm and discourage one another. We bully and pressure others into situations and unhappiness that is beyond cruel. We demand perfection but yet slander each and every unique person we cross paths with. All for the sake of something society has us believing. Which isn't true, not by a long shot. We should embrace each others uniqueness even if it makes us uncomfortable or we don't fully agree. Because if we were all the same, where would diversity be?? How would we be able to tell each other apart?? If we look alike, sound alike, and think alike...how do we show our individualism?? We couldn't. That's the bottom line.

So before you say to a friend, cousin, sibling or parent or even a coworker or a stranger that their problem isn't yours. Take a moment and reconsider, I think the more we accomplish such a task at helping others even if it's small, it can make a HUGE impact on the world and possibly create a better place.