It feels nostalgic to older men and women remembering good old days, and it causes a feeling of reverence and respect from younger generations to think about the noble deeds of older men, who are often regarded as heroes, founders and pioneers. There are numerous dead men and women that permanently command respect and gratitude. I, sometimes, stop to think why?
I think the reason they were what they were is, among other things, that they had better human values than we do today. For sure, they were hard working as life was tougher then. They earned every penny through the hard way. They were innovators and knew how to compromise in solving problems and make life better for everyone. They were also brutal in pursuit of their dreams for success, including exploitation of man. They are remembered for their exploits on earth, including enslaving others. They were good men as well as evil human being. But, they stand out from the crowd of their time. They made history and left their footprints on earth. Evil or good, they are role models for different crowds of people in every nation. They still live within each of us. They are still shaping up our world -they are still in-charge.
Here in Somalia, boys are constantly reminded that they will never catch up with the characters and qualities of their forefathers. We reluctantly accept this popular notion of underestimating today’s younger generations. But today’s life challenges are different in nature from those of older generations. Today’s world is global, interconnected and interdependent, demanding collective approaches to solving common problems of diseases, ignorance and poverty. COVID-19 is the shining example that an outbreak of virus in Wuhan, China, is life-threatening danger in New York City, USA. Life is, somehow, easier living today than the time of our forefathers. Still, we are obsessed and seized by their spirit, and sometimes, haunted by their ghosts.
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