Becoming Mothers and Fathers to the World's Children

While walking on the beach a couple Saturdays ago I bounced up with a group of young boys, half of them in the water playfully slamming into one another and the other half pelting sand balls. As Maya and I approached we heard a strong voice, “We not the only ones on the beach, so stop pelting sand!” I recognized Deek's voice and ventured over. Soon we were reminiscing about old times when Deek and I played football (soccer) together; when he too was the age of the boys on the beach and Theo his coach. Theo was the image of hope back then, as he not only coached a group of young boys every Saturday and Sunday morning but he also initiated and coached the first Grenada Women's football team.

I found an oasis of hope in Deek on that Saturday and it soothed my soul in these troubled times when it feels like violence in all forms is threatening to swallow our children whole both here in Grenada and throughout the world. Deek is an example of kind acts rippling and forming into waves of kindness as he too volunteers his time to coach and mentor a group of Grenville boys just as he was coached and mentored by Theo. Who knows which one of these boys will also ride the waves of kindness and take on the role of mentor and leader to the next generation.

I carried home this image of hope for Theo. My goal to breath hope back into his disillusioned state related to the youths today. A couple of months ago Theo decided to take a large step back from the Village football team; the team he initiated, coached and captained for the past few years. The last conflict on the field made him throw compassion to the wind and step away. The last conflict involved an older youth arguing with Theo about why he should not come off the field. The argument led to the youth walking into the bush at the side of the road and retrieving his cutlass. I can hear Theo's voice now, “So whats this nah? So you going to chop me because I call you off the field. I give up I really give up!” I hear him laughing on the outside but know he is grieving on the inside.

Recently a friend of mine wrote a blog titled An Open Letter to the Young Men of Accra (www.fionaleonard.net). In this blog Fiona addresses a style that seems to be quite popular with young men throughout the world. This style is the 'pants below the waist' style which many of the young men in Grenada also mimic. Even though the blog made me laugh out loud it also made me reflect seriously about our male youths and the directions they are taking. One has to wonder why and how this style spread throughout the world and why it appeals to many of the youths globally? What inspires young men to want to copy a style that was born from American prisons as a result of prisoners having their belts taken away from them? What are the influences or lack of influences in their lives that have them copying a hard line style and why are some of our young women attracted to this style. Once we get past the comical there are many layers to be addressed; even our own reactions and superior judgements. A year ago there was talk of charging the young men of Grenada for wearing their pants below their waists. Not only charging but giving them an allotted number of strokes. I couldn't help think of the irony presented; treating the youth like criminals when I imagine the goal is to help them see themselves as non criminals.

Richie Spice, one of the leading reggae stars today sings a powerful song called “Don't Call me no Dog” which addresses once again the American gangster styles Jamaican youths are choosing to mimic; such as calling one another “Dawg”. In his song, Spice makes it clear he does not want anyone calling him a dog and asks the youths to start seeing themselves in a better way, seeing themselves as the greatest, the highest, the strongest they could be. Spice also addresses the 'pants below the waist' style and pleads to the Jamaican youths to get their act together and prepare themselves for the future.

Our youths throughout the world are in crisis and the challenge is ours to become allies in breaking the cycle. Where do we begin as the mothers, fathers in this global family? I think of Alice Walkers words in her 2000 address to a graduating class at the Agnes Scot College, “ Be aware that the other children of the world are your responsibility as well. You must learn to see them, feel them, as yours. Until you do, there is no way you can make your own child feel safe.” How do we as global parents become morally responsible for the children around us and throughout the world?