Too often we forget the incredible fortune of our place in the world. It is easy to get caught in the minutiae of our busy lives, stressing over all manner of things that seem crucial to our future happiness and success as humans. This week’s exam, tomorrow’s game or meet, our end-of-term grade, these things occupy a great deal of our mental space. That isn’t to say that these things are not important; however, sometimes we lose sight of perspective. The time we spent in South Africa was a sharp reminder of the true nature of happiness.
Much of our time volunteering was spent in a township called Langa, some 15 minutes east of our hostel in Cape Town. Langa is a remnant of the South African Apartheid era when Africans were forced to leave their homes and relocate to segregated communities. Today, three decades after the official end of the apartheid system, many of Langa’s residents still lack running water, electricity, or shelter more than a cargo crate or corrugated steel lean-to. These were the conditions we witnessed driving through its narrow streets, often littered with garbage. This is home for the children with whom we worked every day, and yet, you might not have known it. The kindness, warmth, and genuine curiosity the children radiated betrayed none of the challenges that they may face daily. In the early days, we recognized them based on their clothes, because many would wear the same outfit every day. The children were always enthusiastic about whatever activities we had planned for that day. Never did a single one of the kids complain about anything. They were just happy to be outside playing a sport they loved or inside learning about our alien-seeming lives on the other side of the planet.
There can be no overstating how positive of an experience I had in the ACE in South Africa program….Every day brought something new and special. The children at the ECDs (Early Childhood Development Centers) and VUSA will linger in my mind.
There can be no overstating how positive of an experience I had in the ACE in South Africa program. The small inconveniences we experienced during the program like the chill in the warehouse [where we worked with Ladles of Love], or the unpredictable weather are not going to stick out in my memory, so greatly overshadowed are they by the happiness from all the other moments. Every day brought something new and special. The children at the ECDs (Early Childhood Development Centers) and VUSA will linger in my mind. I hope to have left some positive imprint on them, or at least helped them in some small way. I know that they have left their mark on me. I will remember Lepow’s stoicism, Enzo’s sharpness, Iminathi’s shy smile, Liyema’s eagerness, Bempé’s whimsical innocence, Libo’s round face, Mbappé’s silliness, Olo’s enthusiasm, Lithoumé’s sass, and Peter’s hat. But most of all, I leave Langa knowing that happiness is a choice. The beauty of our lives is in that each is unique and irreplicable. Many of our new young friends in Langa greet each day with open arms and a smile on their faces. They choose to greet the world with happiness, regardless of their circumstance, and so they are happy. We, who have the privilege of having access to so much, still have a lot to learn.