I’m sitting in front of the computer trying to recollect all what I have achieved this year. It’s hard without my notebook. I have such a poor memory sometimes, so I tend to write things down. As a result I have many past notebooks collected in a box which I take out from time to time to reflect on my life’s journey. It’s surprising sometimes to see my aspirations and goals written down and to realize that some of them I have achieved. Others have not yet manifested but that I am on the way. I feel proud of myself. Especially when it seems that Life is just not going to plan. I encourage all of us to write our dreams down because otherwise It’s hard to see how far we have come.

I’m in a reflective mood, especially as this morning a friend of mine showed me a video of a beheading in some Islamic state somewhere. The crowd was gathered, blood from the previous beheaded people can be seen on the ground. The axeman takes aim and begins his wing, I look away. This isn’t a movie, this is real and I can’t stand to watch, to remember the image, for it to remain in my memory. I know this is the reality of many people who have been caught in conflicts. War is traumatising, it wounds and scares.

Even though I can be forgetful, I know I will be able to recall this. I look away. I’m confused by our inhumanity towards each other. How we can so easily murder and bring pain. And I wonder what is our future? If I was an extra-terrestial what would I think about our behaviour? Maybe it wasn’t such a good thing that God gave us free will, because look what we do with it.

It’ true I’m feeling morose. I don’t know why it happens around this time of the year when people seem to be so happy. Anticipating family gatherings and laughter. In my mind,  I’m thinking how come we can’t show this goodwill all year round? Why do we have to wait for Christmas in order to become more humane, generous and loving?

I’m in a reflective mood. After spending 3 intense days with ‘Barundikazi’, Burundian women who come together to discuss and formulate their opinions and actions regarding the events in Burundi, I keep wondering why these conflicts and traumas continue to happen in our beautiful continent and planet. Are we sick as a species? Will we eventually just destroy each other and leave the planet to evolve without us? I worry about us. Our continued march towards destruction. Are we indeed living in the last days? Who will be saved and who will be destroyed?

There are so many layers of reality, the political, the spiritual, the ecological, the scientific, the philosophical, the social, the mental, the emotional, the religious. If we were a patient what would be our prognosis? What is the percentage of the population who are behaving in a way that is anti life and love?

I know there are good stories out there, the world is full of stories of hope and inspiration but why don’t we hear or see them? I’m asking these questions because i want to know and understand the nature of humanity and how we can change the most destructive elements of our behaviour in order for us to live in peace and love.

Or is it a case of we can’t have one without the other, but like I say in one of my songs ‘there has to be a better way’. And I hope that more of us will make a commitment to finding it and transforming our society. It’s time to break out and try something new.