Maps
“Upon a small
And rocky island near, a fragment stood– Itself like a sea rock– of what
had been
a Romish chapel”
The Prelude (517-519)
Although I’m not in Africa as I write this, I thought I’d offer a few parting thoughts. I promise the next post will have pictures and a little more information about Imiliwaha.
I had originally thought of my trip to Africa as an escape from the hurried life style of the United States; an escape from unprincipled politics, ever changing technology, and of course the typical cubical job of a recent college graduate. But the more I read about Africa, the more the trip seems to be more a journey of “return”. A return to principles, tradition and nature– where the “Romish Chapel” returns to and is seen as simply “a sea rock”.
To return to rock or nature is to erase oneself from the map, from the charted places of existence; the chapel is no longerable to be found. To be labeled on a map is like having dictated directions on where to go and what to do and how much money to earn. Maps are a subjective history. Returning to simplicity, nature, and faith we would seem to become our own history.
Now, I don’t think you need to go to Africa to be erased from the maps of dictated direction, but I think you DO have to be fearless; fearless in the happiness you find in the little things, fearless in the contentment of a job well done, fearless enough to slow down a little and not worry about things beyond your control.
If we are fearless enough to become our own history,“We [become] communal histories, communal books. We are not owned or monogamus in our taste or experience. All I desired was to walk upon such an earth that had no maps” (The English Patient).
Thanks for the inspiration for this post Andy!!
Here’s a guy that does not look at maps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY
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