We should all learn from Leymah R. Gbowee’s reflection:
We shall understand that everything that happens around the world affect us and therefore we should not turn the other way whenever we feel like we don’t want to be involved. Understading this lesson would make us better people and the world a better place.
Da Na My Bisnay (It is none of my business)
by Leymah R. Gbowee
Last night I boarded a flight to Warsaw, Poland, to visit two of my students studying in Ukraine who crossed into Poland following the invasion. On this trip, I have to travel six and half hours from New York to Amsterdam, then one hour to Warsaw, and four more hours to Gdansk by road. I missed my first connection from Amsterdam to Warsaw as the Delta flight bringing us into Amsterdam was delayed 3 hours, making a total of fourteen hours.
Sitting in the lounge, I began to think about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the past few weeks. It seemed such a distant reality, so far from my world. Sadly, this crisis has become all of our realities. The price of fuel, bread, rice, and all essential commodities impact communities that cannot even point out Russia or Ukraine on a map.
Whoever coined the term global village was foresighted; we now truly live in a global village. When someone sneezes in Africa, the rest of the world catches a cold. The question then becomes, why do we still have the da na my bisnay (none of my business) attitude? It is time that communities, society, and the world conduct business differently. Every situation in our world is proving to be all of our business.
“See me oh” (in my Liberian voice), going to Gdansk and can’t even pronounce most of the names on my itinerary, but I have to go. In my mind, Sanoyea (Bong County, Liberia) shared little in common with Gdansk, Poland. However, a war none of us had any role in has dismantled and is dismantling our world in ways that we never dreamt of, connecting distant lands and people.
Whenever we are tempted—as Liberians often utter—to say, “Da na my bisnay (None of my business)” in any situation, let’s remember Putin’s war on Ukraine was none of our business. Still, we are all feeling the pinche in one way or another.
The state of our world is ALL OF OUR BUSINESS!
DON’T BE A BYSTANDER!
BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT!
Remember that only positive participation in any aspect of life will contribute to a better world,
Pictures will follow when I arrive—kindly say a prayer for a successful and safe journey!