The Heart Of A Dragonfly - Ubuntu

Ubuntu - “I am because we are”

There are some words that are rather difficult to translate because their meaning runs so much deeper than the words themselves. Ubuntu is one of them.

In South Africa (The country of my my birth), Ubuntu speaks to the belief that our humanity is found in our connection to one another. It is often expressed as “I am because we are” - but it is also about compassion, dignity, belonging, generosity, respect and recognizing that each person has value, and that we are stronger because of what we bring to one another. It’s about recognizing that every person matters, and that we thrive when we lift one another up.Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

It’s a philosophy that I grew up with, and one that has always resonated deeply with me. This weekend at the GWN Toronto Dragon Boat Festival, I watched Ubuntu unfold in our boat.

It was hard racing and incredibly tough competition, but these Dragonflies just would not give up. We showed up in force for one another. We dug deeper with every race. When one person had more to give, they gave it. When someone needed strength, someone else was there to provide it. And in that final, with some really strong under currents and headwinds pushing hard against us, there was an unspoken certainty between every paddler:

The person beside me has me. And I have them.

That is Ubuntu.

It is knowing that your contribution matters. That the person beside you matters. That none of us has to carry the whole boat - because we carry each other. That is what being an Oakville Dragonfly means to me.

Every one of you brings something different to this team - strength, determination, experience, humour, grit, heart, resilience. Take any one of those pieces away, and we are not the same boat.

What we accomplished together this weekend somehow felt bigger than the silver medal hanging around our necks. It was what we were willing to give for the person sitting beside us when the conditions got hard, when fatigue started setting in and even when we wanted to give up that really counted ... This weekend, we gave everything.

Ubuntu.

I AM because WE ARE.