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PITY those who are so fixated with the politics and business of the day that they have stopped appreciating the chirping of birds.
How can you not feel sorry for the man or woman who watches television in the morning and, as the day wears on, listens to a radio deejay who thinks that their mastery of the turntables gives them the licence to pronounce on matters pertaining to the sociopolitical order?
Trust me, the sound of rustling leaves is better. It reduces stress levels and is good for the soul.
How can you not feel sorry for a young person who is caged in a technobubble of cellphones and headphones? That youngster holds fast to the delusional belief of being connected to the world through social media – whereas, in fact, they are disconnected from nature and the living, breathing world around them.
So many of our children are overfed on televised entertainment instead of being encouraged to run and play outdoors in the company of other children.
Too late will these unfortunate souls realise that, in not taking the time and effort to care for plants and animals, they will remain deficient when it comes to appreciating and caring for people. Even worse, they will be ill equipped at taking care of themselves.
Being a lover of animals means being attuned to their joy or suffering, while nurturing flowers and trees enables one to see nature at its blooming best.
At Johannesburg Botanical Garden in Emmarentia, there lives a family of Egyptian geese which I have christened the Al-Mustapha family. I wonder if the species originated in Egypt or if this is simply nomenclature accorded to it by humans.
These creatures have to make do in Mayor Herman Mashaba’s Johannesburg. The park looks tatty and neglected. Although many of its trees have been pruned, they are surrounded by rubble that hasn’t been removed. Fruits that have fallen during the summer rains are still blocking the paths weeks later.
Back to the geese. When I first observed the family, there were six members: mum, dad and four goslings. On further observation, I noted that the mother hides her young and, before they come out, the father comes flying past as if to inspect and ensure that there are no predators lurking about.
His actions do not seem to matter much, because since I started observing the family, two of the goslings have died – killed either by predators or jealous neighbours who want to give a chance to their own offspring.
That is the nature of the animal kingdom. The human species seems to be undergoing reverse evolution by following suit and taking care of its own needs first. Some of these humans are in leadership positions and, instead of serving the public, they use these positions to increase their profits.
With year-end fast approaching, it is best not to look too deeply into the rear-view mirror. Rather look around you, at the birds and the trees in your ’hood. Familiarise yourself with the sights and sounds of nature.
Your neighbour may call you mad or accuse you of witchcraft. No matter. That’s what they called Mr Mntambo, a botanist in Cradock. At dusk, he and his friend, Mr Goniwe, used to water flowers that had been planted by the Eastern Cape municipality. Before long, they were accused of harbouring uMamlambo, or mermaids, in their homes for good luck. It was this luck that helped them get money to educate their children, the community charged. Nurturing flora for the pleasure of it was not even considered.
This festive season, take a rest from politics and business. Your reward, come 2018, will be clarity of mind and purpose.
* Muzi Kuzwayo is the founder of Ignitive, an advertising agency
