Tuesdays with Tutu

There are days when being a Resident Director is a taxing job.  Being awoken at 1:30 in the morning to watch an overserved student fail a sobriety test and then pass out in a chair during his observation time is quite an annoying task.  But then days like today come along and wash all that frustration away.

This morning our RD team had the opportunity to have a private meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu to talk about how to address the students when they question the difficult poverty and injustice they are beginning to experience in our port stops.  I would listen to Arch read the dictionary for three hours if given the opportunity.  He has a presence and a manner of speaking that just pulls you in and makes you hang on his every word. 

During our talk he would pause, sometimes for almost thirty seconds, and I’d wonder if he lost his train of thought.   Then he would begin speaking like he never stopped and I started to realize that he was truly speaking with a purpose, selecting the exact words he wanted to say for maximum impact.  And when he would make a joke and laugh, his spirit would fill the room.  I really can’t believe how lucky I am to have opportunities like this. 

Our conversation lasted over an hour and focused on the nature of being human.  He spoke about Ubuntu, the South African philosophy focusing on people’s need for each other and being good to one another.  I’ll admit sometimes the news can get me down and to a point where I wish I could live on an island away from everyone and it was a good reminder of the need for others. 

Arch also spoke of the feeling of being unable to change the world and the need to contribute in small ways to make a big impact.  It sounds simple but something as easy as not taking too much food at dinner can have a positive impact.  There is no point wasting food while others struggle.  

Our conversation left me rethinking my own actions in everyday life and how I can help facilitate change.  As the saying goes, think globally and act locally.