About African Mission Studies and Ulrich van der Heyden of the Humboldt University, Berlin.

Willing Freedom - memory of a poem - before I knew better

 

Willing Freedom

 

You are what you will to be,

Don’t forget it.

And your will is always free,

Don’t forget it.

Free to follow or to shun,

Free to do or leave undone,

Free to conquer or to run,

Don’t forget it.

 

You are what you will to be,

Don’t forget it.

You were born to liberty,

Don’t forget it.

You can climb if you desire,

Daily upward, ever higher,

Or sink down in deepening mire,

Don’t forget it.

 

You are what you will to be,

Don’t forget it.

From the choice you cannot flee,

Don’t forget it.

You must choose and you alone,

‘Twixt the darkness and the throne,

All your future is your own,

Don’t forget it.

By

Karla Poewe 1977

I wrote this poem in the 1970's when I was at the beginning of my career and thought everything depended on my own effort and choices before I knew better. The profession became a demanding job…and family needs required unending investment of resources, financial, mental, physical, emotional…and the past remained a burden.

Still, to have written that poetic reminder of how much depended on my assuming the responsibility to choose and do better…and then to assume more responsibilities and take set-backs got me at least this far…Not far enough…but … Fact is, we just don’t know the future for the simple reason that we cannot calculate the future consequences of our actions in the present. Nor is what nature does with us calculable. … What counts is to have the habits in place to continue on and learn in the process. There also have to be, however, moments of inspiration and moments of sharp clarity of mind…17.06.2014

And now 14 August 2020, we are living in Corona-virus time. Stay well, All of you out there.