We all have differing views about why we do things. At times it is important to try and see a point of view of others for clarity, support, or just openess to being challenged. There are many times I have heard others who will look at a given situation with judgement and argue relentlessly that their point of view is right without considering any other perspective. I myself have been guilty at times of the same behaviour. However, continuous expossure to new things, ideas, people, etc, forces you to have to be more accomodating. There are many experiences I have faced here that if I had read on paper, or heard in passing conversation could have made me look at things through a clouded lens. No more is this apparent than trying to look at and examine crime from inner city young men and women. We all have our views and thoughts about why, without having ever been to those environments that create it or talking to those who are involved in it. This story is for those people who do make judgements without providing the evidence to support their views.
There were two childhood friends who were determined to remain close always. When they were grown, they each married and built their houses facing one another. Just a small path separated them. One day Sankofa the wise man decided to test their friendship and dressed himself in a two-color coat that was divided down the middle, red on the right side and blue on the left side. Wearing this coat, Sankofa walked along the narrow path between the two houses whilst the two friends were each working opposite each other in their fields. He attracted their attention by coughing loudly and made each friend look up from his side of the path at the same time. Sankofa stayed around long enough for them to notice him and then went on his way. At the end of the day, one friend said to the other,
"Wasn't that a beautiful red coat Sankofa was wearing today?"
"No," replied the other. "It was blue."
"I saw Sankofa clearly as he walked between us his coat was red."
"You are wrong!" the second man said. "I saw it too. It was blue."
"I know what I saw!" insisted the first man. "The coat was red."
"You don't know anything," replied the second angrily. "It was blue!"
"So you think I am stupid? I know what I saw,” shouted the first. "It was red!"
"Blue!" the other man said. "Red!"
"Blue!" "Red!" "Blue!"
They began to beat each other and roll around on the ground. Just then Sankofa returned and faced the two friends, who were punching and kicking each other and shouting, "Our friendship is over, we’re finished"
Sankofa walked directly in front of them, displaying his coat. He laughed loudly at their silly fight. The two friends saw that his two-color coat was divided down the middle, blue on the left and red on the right. The two friends stopped fighting and screamed at Sankofa.
"We have lived side by side all our lives like brothers! It is your entire fault that we are fighting! You started a war between us."
"Don't blame me for the battle," said Sankofa, "I did not make you fight. Both of you are wrong. And both of you are right. Yes, what each one said was true! You are fighting because you only looked at my coat from your own point of view."
Sankofa walked away leaving the two friends to reflect on their actions.
Peace
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