Lessons from the drum

The drum is one of the world's oldest instruments in the world and yet still found in many places, although sometimes in modernized form, even though the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years. Drums may be played individually, with a single drum, or in a group with various drum sizes and sounds coming out in harmony. I had the privilege of attending an event where a drumming group called Drum Cafe led the opening of the session with some versatile drumming skills. I have been in this drumming session twice before but I still enjoyed this event as if it was the first time. The way they facilitate the whole experience and the way they use the drum to show how it can bring together people to achieve one goal and make a unified sound is intriguing. We were all given the Djembe drum and we would take instructions and play in a way that would make us one. With more than a hundred people in the room, a disjointed effort would be chaotic with no result achieved, but with Drum cafe in the lead, this was an experience which would be both unifying, refreshing and memorable. The drum is a very simple instrument which only requires one's two hands to beat in varying styles to make a sound to which people can dance. When there is one drum, it is easy for the drummer to play whichever way and possibly create musical art, however when there are more than a hundred people, there has to be some format to drumming or else it ends up being messy and noisy. And so we were led into making some beautiful rhythmic sounds where we ended up nodding our heads, smiling and even laughing with feet stamping and hips swaying as well. This is much the same as with anything in life. When one sets -out to achieve something on their own, they are almost certain to achieve whatever they want to as long as they are aware of it themselves, but when that same effort is a group effort then there has to be leadership and vision to achieve a desired result. Someone has to call the shots and say what happens now and next and how it happens. This gets things going in a way that achieves results. What part are you playing in the drumming session of life? Lead the greatest harmony of drumbeat or follow as the best team drummer and enjoy the results. Now beat your drum!

Half man half awesome

As I watched and listened to the tribute Top Billing television show last week in honour of now late presenter  Simba Mhere, I realised how people do not value all the things that many pursue in life. This death touches my heart as Simba was my home boy and his name means strength which he clearly had and not just in a physical way, while his surname, ironically now that he is dead, means a loud scream or cry. The many actors, musician DJs and celebrities interviewed and with whom he had contact with spoke about the same things about Simba. He was genuine, real, loving, caring, selfless, energetic, full of life, passionate, a real gentleman and he gave hugs most ladies reminisced of in their remembrance. One thing is clear, that none of these things relate to wealth or fame. It all relates to him as a human being who was reaching out to other human beings in a very real way. I did not follow the show much, but listening to everyone speaking these things about Simba brought to the fore a new perspective on life. Simba lived a full life only to die at 26 and leave a legacy of being consistent in being genuine about other people on and off TV. We live in a world where people act out to lead and succeed in life. Whatever people can do to get on top, they will do at all costs without worry about the other person. In many competitions and contests one cannot help but notice how cutthroat the fighting is for the honors, even in business, only to realise at the end that life matters more than these things. Simba had tributes from fellow contestants whom he beat to get this TV Presenter job he was doing until his death. It is rare for your competitor to speak kindly of you when you have lost to them, however they spoke about him with love and respect, as someone who had kept them close as friends after he was appointed to the job, even supporting them to move forward and still succeed in other areas of life. Let us cultivate these priceless humane things in life that are getting endangered. As we "compete" in this cold uncaring world, may we retain some of these attributes that humanity so craves. A genuine smile, laugh, question of care for someone, hug and being genuine whether with a crowd or with one person. May Simba Mhere rest in eternal peace and may we learn something from the way he lived his life.

That small pushback tug

I have always been amazed at airports when I see a large aircraft being pulled back by a small little vehicle which is a fraction of the size of the plane. Many aircraft are capable of moving themselves backwards on the ground using reverse thrust (a procedure referred to as a powerback), but the resulting jet blast or prop wash may cause damage to terminal buildings or equipment. Aircraft engines when operated close to the ground may also blow sand and debris forward and then suck it into the engine and damage the engine. A pushback is therefore the preferred method to move the aircraft away from the gate or terminal building and this is done using a pushback tractor or tug. Pushback tractors have a low profile design that allows them to fit under the aircraft nose and they are heavy for traction weighing up to 54 tonnes (119,000 pounds) for large aircraft tractors. Often, the  driver's cabin can be raised for increased visibility when reversing, and lowered to fit under aircraft. A pushback tractor seems so small and powerless compared to the aircraft it pulls but it does so with ease because it has been carefully crafted to do this job well. It has the right design, weight and torque required to perform this function. Bringing this analogy into life, we all at some point need someone or something that may seem smaller than us or incapable to help us, but they do exactly that. The aircraft never boasts of its massive Rolls Royce engines which can lift it up to fly to distant places at great at great altitudes. At the time when its pulled by the little tug, it has to keep those engines quiet and submit to the small pull on the ground. It is not always that we need to be the "knight in shining amour" and save the world with our own power, strength, talent and ability. Sometimes we just need to let others shine in their own moment while yield, humble ourselves and submit to others and wait for our time to come. Those seemingly small may just be the ones that can do the required work in us at that time to get us going to greater heights and distant places. The tractor will never reach the heights that the aircraft can, but its job is done when it gets the aircraft out and ready to take off. There are those who can make you look good even though they themselves may never get the credit for it. Will you submit yourself to a small tug today and let it put you in the right space to enable you to take off?

When and where were you last alive

Garmin Southern Africa launched a campaign titled Where were you when you last felt alive  in 2014 and I found it interesting as it triggered questions for my pondering mind. So one can be alive without feeling alive, as in breathe but not be alive? You know when last you were alive and where you were? You can be moving around but you do not feel alive? Being alive is both related to time and place? There are places where you feel more alive than others? Am I really alife? I realized that this is very true for there are 365 days in a year but we only remember a few of them as having truly lived them. The rest we are on auto pilot without even thinking about what we are doing. I previously wrote a post entitled I am alive and it narrated some of the things I do which show I am alive. I think we all know of times when we were more alive than we are now. When we were more zealous and energetic than we are now. The question is, what made us so alive at those moments? Without reference to age, I believe we can be alive in many ways. I have in fact heard people speak of past experiences and say things like "I have never felt so alive". And some of these are very short bursts of liveliness and quickly back to the normal dearth. If I was to ask you this similar question, where were you when you were last alive, would you speak in the now, or in the very distant past? I have also thought about what can make a person feel alive and will break it down below.

• Engage in activities that are outside your normal way of life. The bold ones go for extreme sports like skydiving, bungee jumping, large music concerts also arouse life.

• Move away from what you have done for too long and do something new to resuscitate life within you.

• Create new networks that speak differently to your life and make your mind tick in a different way.

• Determine to find life in many of the things you do.

May you be alive as you go through 2015 and not merely exist in this world. there is a vast difference.

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Realisations, resolutions, realignment and reflection

Realisation is defined as becoming fully aware of something (gaining a full understanding of an issue). It is also the achievement of something desired or the conversion of an asset into cash (a financial outcome like profit or loss becoming reality). I want to focus on the definition of becoming aware of something where you realise that maybe you are not happy, or something is wrong with your business or you have become disillusioned about something. When you realise something, usually you take action on that realisation in a logical manner to correct the problem. If you realise that the reason the electricity is tripping is a faulty connection, you will get an electrician to come and fix it and get rid of the problem. If you realise that someone you thought was a friend is badmouthing and pulling you down, then you confront and talk to them about it or deal with them on an arms length basis going forward. Realisation is the initial step in a process of change that follows. As the year begins, many people talk of new year's resolutions, which are firm decisions to do or not do something. These resolutions come from realisations picked up in certain areas during the course of a prior year. While I do not agree with the inherent implication that one should pile up resolutions in one year until a new one starts and then make new year's resolutions, it is still a good way of revealing that someone has been taking stock of the year's events and intends to change things. Resolutions can relate to things that have moved from an initial perfect state to an undesired state (the obvious weight gain), though sometimes it is a realisation of something that has always been but, is no longer desired. So after a realisation, one resolves to do something about it and then moves to the realignment stage where the issue is restored back to a desired state, or at least effort is made to. Realignment changes and restores things to a desired state after which reflection follows to ensure that this is indeed the desired state and is still in line with the future long term state desired. Reflection may then lead to another round or realisation, resolution and so the cycle goes. So as you start the year, may you go through these steps and make sure that when you reflect in any area, you can smile and enjoy the results thereof. My only advice is not to pile up your realisations until the year ends and then start to resolve to change but, to make it a continuous process throughout the year. I wish you a year of inspiration, progress, growth and happiness!