You are being prepared to be strong for whatever situation you may face in everyday life, whether it’s sleeping without food, water, or electricity at times. Uqine ndoda because you always have to fight demons even in your sleep and broad daylight with people who do not wish you well for no reason whatsoever.

The world and its people compete about everything. Everyone is running a race of being a better human. Everyone preaching the word that they do not live by. If you have nothing to benefit, then we have nothing to talk about. That’s what the elders are making you be ready of when they say “be strong.” Not everyone can handle rejection and hunger. But as a human, you are forced to understand that as the years add up in your bill of breathing.

We were never prepared for days where we have to make tough decisions like who not to love anymore – “the kid in me wants to love them all. The kid in me wants to save the world and share everything I have…wait I was taught to share toys with my neighbour, food when others ate hungry is meant to be shared so we could all gain strength to live another day”. This life faded like dew in the dessert sand. It’s rare to find people who will teach you without expecting anything in return, people who will share lives without expecting it to be reciprocated.

We all wish we were taught to be ready for adulting. No one ever could. They can only do so much. It is not by choice to grow or stay young forever. When they say “uqine” they are preparing you that you will someday lose all your loved ones and can only live to hope that they are watching you from the heaven we are all praying for. The heaven we are all not sure about because no one has ever gone there to experience.

When we are told to be strong as men, we think lifting weights and having a good physique will help us be powerful. We never train the inner peace that is always trying to scream out loud. So many of us avoid dealing with feelings that we have inside we turn to believe that will make us weak humans.

The teachings of human nature are hidden within you. You are the only person to know what is right and what is wrong. You are your own source of happiness and sadness. You are the God you see and the God you’re praying to, as it is said that God is a reflection of you. When you do bad to others expect karma to prevail unto you aswell.

Some pray for healing, and some pray for killing…see how powerful the God in every person is. What you wish or think most about, it will someday really do come about.

I don’t know why I wrote this but I just couldn’t stop typing. Maybe it’s the inner me talking, and maybe I have to share these words because you need them too. You are allowed to share with those you think needs to hear this.

“Qina ndoda ekhaya babheke wena”

• Mzwakhe Ngubane