Saturday, April 5, 2008

Freedom is of the Mind


He refuses to get out of bed. Something to do with the late night that we had. And the fact that he was a might, a little bit, over the top.

I do remember meeting the police roadblock, it was after midnight. Cant close nearer than that. Old Kampala Police station, near the Mosque. Usual traffic jam site, but a jam at that time?

No, police.

Making sure that they were arresting those who drunk and drove.

My heart sunk. Contemplated a night in the police cell. That is the routine, whenever they decide to do these middle of the night arrests. Suprisingly, we passed the initial screening test, and drove away carefully. I am with all Kampala drivers. Breathalyzers, that is technology meant to encroach on our freedom to drink and drive, and kill of course.

Beautiful morning. Very beautiful.

Golden sunlight. Green leaves, shadowed and sprinkled with the sunlight. A breeze making them dance and wave. Shadow and light beneath the trees. Cool, calm. The heat will be in a couple of hours. Throw off shirt and sweat freely.

Thinking of Mugabe this morning, I wondered, would a Mugabe imprison my soul?

He has done quite a bit, apart from bringing to ruin a good economy.

He has beaten and killed opponents, abused and laughed at challenge, inside and outside the country. He has made Zimbabweans the laughing stock of the continent. Reminds me of Life President, Dr. Al Hajj General Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Conqueror of the British Empire (damn, have left out some of the titles, like Ssalongo etc). He also killed and raped and destroyed a country. Yet humanity is resilient.

Burma will come out of the ashes when the strangle hold of the generals is broken. So will North Korea. China is a bulging, burgeoning, feasthood of humanity.

Can a Mugabe imprison my soul?

That is important for me, because in as much as I would love political and other freedoms, I have realized that freedom is of the mind. Of the soul.

A person, a gay person in the Scandinavian countries would think of my life as a horror. Closeted for life, suffering indignities which their countries left in the distant past of the 18th Century.

Yet, despite the physical lack, the economic needs, the real life problems that are undeniable, I am free. Free in the mind. I have challenged life as it was given to me, and dared to break out of the mold. I have found love and happiness. I have found a man to love, who loves me back. The world may not acknowledge us, my community and society may be hostile and condemning, but I have found my life and love and happiness.

Yes, I have passed through a lot in life. I will most likely pass through more. My life is on an uncharted sea, easily able to founder and sink without a trace. I have many battles to fight, in future. Some I may lose. A few I may win. Many I may never get the chance to see through. But I am happy that I have opened my eyes to the freedom of the mind, the freedom of thought.

Freedom is of the mind, and I am deeply thankful that I have found that freedom.

I will use what weapons I have to teach others, to free others. I will understand that some will willfully stay slaves and prisoners. But, and I have to respect that, that is their will, their journey, their life.

Can a Mugabe imprison my soul? My physical body, definitely. Pain to my body, my heart, torture, the indignity of poverty, stupidity and physical need and confinement. But freedom is of the mind, and I find that today, this morning, with my love resting late in bed, and my world full of sunlight and sunshine, I know that freedom is of the mind. And that it is mine to lose. Mine to keep.

Have a great day.

GayUganda

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fair(y) Justice Party.

GUG, dear I adore your blog. How naughty of a certain revolutionary to suggest you would write comments on your own blog. As if you would do that? That would be self-pleasuring. You would not do that, no matter how 27th rubs you up the wrong way. ;-0 This 27th is terribly confused, you know, about his private parts Yes, yes, yes, he says that he does not need Nigerian spam on penis enlargement. But he thinks this because God has blessed him! Marxists, honey, someone should tell him, do not believe in God! Surely, he know that he is blessed by supply and demand and if you don't find demand then supply has to shrink. Do advise him urgently. There must be some girls in need of his private, revolutionary arms trade.

gayuganda said...

Wow, anonymous,

I will certainly serve the comrade with the hint. Certainly he will not dare not take notice!

gug

The 27th Comrade said...

O, God. :-o

DeTamble said...

Maybe not God, but someone has definitely gifted him.

Divine.

The 27th Comrade said...

Ah, a witness, at last. How she knows, don't ask me. :o)

gayuganda said...

Hey,

what is going on here?

gug

gayblade said...

What an utterly beautiful post.

gayuganda said...

Thanks Micheal

gug

Princess said...

27th, have you met your match in anon?
:D)

Post a Comment