Richard Manzini’s Weblog

I’ve gone for quite some time without a single blog; my thoughts remain the most potent mechanism… But for the month, I’m assured it must have been so overwhelmed with information it still had to process. I’ve come to understand not only what authors are referring to when going on about writers block; but in my perverse idealistic ways of thinking, I’ve linked this to every struggle  faced by communities, by individuals in all spheres of life.

Not allowing ones mind the time and place to let free, acts as a very constrictive way in which to disable the human spirit and completely detach them from the realities of the world. I’m not perhaps linking this to what the oppressive struggle so wanted to achieve in its time, nor am I referring to the times of slavery and unheard of suffering. I’m compelled to mention this as a side note of perhaps what some might argue to be the origins of such crippling standpoints.  Every day experiences not only further on strengthen my thoughts, but entrench every little idea that I have of empowering a nation that believes in getting heard, a nation that is getting heard by its Government, and a people of pride in they thoughts and beliefs.

This seems to be lacking all round, I’m perhaps not dignified in saying this; as I’m assured my studies deprive me of ample time in which I could pursue my visions of what  I believe to be empowering individuals with reasonable thoughts of self-empowerment, self-acknowledgement . Going away from the dehumanisation of black people; and back to the teachings of the honourable late Steve Biko on self-reliance. Black Community Programmes that back then had awakened a breed of South African revolutionaries; this was the power of thought, one in which Steve Biko not only had realised, but throughout had lived by.

I’m assured we leave in different times now, and more so assured Steve Biko and other extraordinary individuals alike are “partially” well rested. But getting overly stressed with current events headlining media houses and news reports;

 We’ve lost the plot, perhaps we never got it in the first place, perhaps we never really got to understanding what freedom in every sense of the word entailed to us all, perhaps somewhere along the lines we gave up in what change had presented us with, maybe situations never allowed such changes in the first place. I might not know the answer, I do not think even the smartest economists and historians can pin point events that can clearly bring forth an explanation lining out every leading problem.

But we forgot the one notion, the one idea everyone even before the times of the Biko’s had been fighting for, been struggling hard to convey to the masses.

The one idea that is closest to the holy grail as imaginable. That there is somewhere better, there is a better place as long as we’re willing to fight towards letting our thoughts bring forth ideas on how to get there, and if perhaps we get stuck, self-dehumanisation should NEVER be the alternative, but reliance on a mentality strongly focused on achieving what is only blocked by certain circumstances but can be overcome through collective efforts.

Exactly what authors do when the so called writers block prevents them from writing, most will go out to experience life, go out to learn and empower themselves and with that knowledge gathered and after understanding and collectively reasoning their thoughts, they eventually get back to writing and the end goal is in most cases achieved. And the book is finished.

I remain, optimistic of the two analogies in my life; I shall finish my two books on time and I shall empower as best as I can.

Because everyday the struggle continues, ALUTA CONTINUA; burns deeply inside me.

My Regards

Richard Manzini