Rocky Block

Unexpected Gifts

Birthday gifts often come in unexpected packages.  We had the wonderful opportunity to view the play Nothing But the Truth starring the notorious South African performer Dr. John Kani.  This personal story about forgiveness during the apartheid era began to move my soul as I sat in the audience.  The strength of the human spirit and the internal struggle among family members and society left me speechless as I exited the theater.  How can people be so forgiving?  Would I have the ability to forgive oppressors through a vessel that seeks to unite the whole instead of focusing solely on individual, punitive retribution?

Questions from this piece of art extended into the realm of familial strife and the recognition of invisible heroes, as the play centered on an unknown librarian that fought in the day-to-day struggle without national or international attention.  We all have the power to be heroes and heroes often walk our streets unnoticed on their way to work at the library.

The next morning, Dr. Kani unexpectedly greeted our group with the biggest smile and a most gracious hello as he happened to walk by our professor.  He took the time out of his busy day to chat with us and accept our praise for his play and performance.  Photographic memories will remind me of the humility and strength of his personal uprising during the revolution.  However, his story is not his story alone, but one of countless members of untold heroes who fought for the freedom and unification of all of South Africa.  Birthday gifts that challenge your own humanity and remind you of the potential within us all do not always come wrapped inside a box.  These types of unexpected birthday gifts are the best kind.

Rocky Block – Assistant/Teammate Pedagogy of Action