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We were at the burial of our beloved friend and brother who died of AIDS-related illnesses. He was the third person we were burying in just one month. Everyone knew how intelligent he was. And his talent in Soccer was an open secret. He was just about to join the National Soccer team when he past on. The preacher stood up to deliver his sermon. His sermon was entitled: 'The little dash.'
"Usually when we go to the cemetery, we see so many things, but I want us to focus on the tombstone. Apart from the year of birth and the year of death, there is mostly this little dash that separates the two years (e.g. 1987-2008). It is that little dash that I want to talk about. That little dash is very necessary to note, for it represents your life. All of you alive today are in that little dash of yours. That is the life you have today. The question is what are you doing with your little dash? How are you making use of it? Thank you."
We all thought he would give a long sermon, but that is all he said. Think about it, how unique is your little dash?
Some say that life is too short. Is there any gift one can receive which would be longer than life? A child can live for just 1 year and still bring joy to others. Yet a man can live 90 years, putting others in misery. The little child would have used his life well, unlike the old man. This shows that we, the young, have before us a challenge to live life and live it fully, to make a difference and leave the world a better place than we found it. There is no time for us to procrastinate our hard work. Now is the time for us to change the course of things. Let us give our parents confidence that we are able to run the world, that through our dedication we are now ready to take over from them. Now is the time to rid ourselves of the ‘I’m still young’ syndrome, we must stop saying “when I grow up…” because there is no such time to come. Growth is now; it lives within the self and sees no future. There is only one way: the way up!
That little dash spoken of is our now. It represents our efforts, our lives and our existence. The length of the dash matters less, but its content is vital. Great men and women, who left a positive mark in our world, are still remembered as a motivation for some. Their names are inscribed in the books of History. What impact have you made? And what shall you be remembered for? There might be no more Triangular slave trade to fight or no Apartheid in South Africa; but, what about the corruption and the injustice that is creeping into our nations?
With your little dash, do make a difference, only then are we guaranteed a better future.
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Remish
Remmy is a young male HIV and gender activist in Southern Africa. He has presented different papers and abstracts at different conferences. Although he is still studying, Remmy is proactive in the fight against HIV; he has led his fellow youths in advocacy campaigns and now coordinates a project called 'Men n' Gender'. Remmy is currently the GYCA National Focal Point Person for Zambia.
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