Learn, Share, Grow – I See You

Below is a lesson from the Northern Natal Tribe of South Africa on the Spirit of Ubuntu, as well as our key learnings.

The Blue Courage team is dedicated to continual learning and growth.  We have adopted a concept from Simon Sinek’s Start With Why team called “Learn, Share, Grow”.  We are constantly finding great articles, videos, and readings that have so much learning.  As we learn new and great things, this new knowledge should be shared for everyone to then grow from.

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Key Learnings:

• Sawa Bona – “I see you.” Greeting in the Northern Natal Tribe of South Africa (Spirit of Ubuntu).
• Sikhona – “I am here.” The response to the greeting.
• It’s about brining others into existence – taking the time to see the essence of who they truly are.
• A person is a person because of other people.

This holiday season, we encourage you to reflect on the Spirit of Ubuntu.  Think about the power of Sawa Bona – I see you – and the response of Sikhona – I am here.  I am who I am; I am in existence because you brought me into existence by acknowledging me, seeing the humanness in me, seeing me for who I am.

Think about your day to day interactions — who do you acknowledge as you go about your day?  Who do you bring into existence?  Who do you leave invisible to you?  Every day, we are presented with the opportunity to acknowledge those who step into our lives, even if for a brief moment — the grocery store clerk, the bathroom attendant, the restaurant server — even those we see as of great importance to us: our elderly parent, our growing child, our estranged relative or friend. Perhaps you were the one at one point who was invisible to another person.

Now is a great time to embrace the Spirit of Ubuntu and make it a daily habit.  A simple smile or hello can inspire a person’s day, provide hope to someone in need, or let someone know that they matter. Together, we can make a difference and set into motion a campaign of kindness and acknowledgment!