How many lonely, sleepless nights How many lies, how many fights And why would you want to put yourself through all that again?

“Love is pain,” I hear you [...]]]> “Brand New Day” Lyrics by Sting
How many of you people out there
Been hurt in some kind of love affair
And how many times do you swear that you’ll never love again?

How many lonely, sleepless nights
How many lies, how many fights
And why would you want to put yourself through all that again?

“Love is pain,” I hear you say
Love has a cruel and bitter way
Of paying you back for all the faith you ever had in your brain

How could it be that what you need the most
Can leave you feeling just like a ghost?
You never want to feel so sad and lost again

One day you could be looking
Through an old book in rainy weather
You see a picture of her smiling at you
When you were still together
You could be walking down the street
And who should you chance to meet
But that same old smile that you’ve been thinking of all day

You can turn the clock to zero, honey
I’ll sell the stock, we’ll spend all the money
We’re starting up a brand new day

Turn the clock all the way back
I wonder if she’ll take me back
I’m thinking in a brand new way

Turn the clock to zero, sister
You’ll never know how much I missed her
Starting up a brand new day

Turn the clock to zero, boss
The river’s wide, we’ll swim across
Started up a brand new day

It could happen to you – just like it happened to me
There’s simply no immunity – there’s no guarantee
I say love’s such a force – if you find yourself in it
And sometimes no reflection is there

Baby wait a minute, wait a minute
Wait a minute, wait a minute
Wait a minute, wait a minute

Turn the clock to zero, honey
I’ll sell the stock, we’ll spend all the money
We’re starting up a brand new day

Turn the clock to zero, Mac
I’m begging her to take me back
I’m thinking in a brand new way

Turn the clock to zero, boss
The river’s wide, we’ll swim across
Started up a brand new day

Turn the clock to zero buddy
Don’t wanna be no fuddy duddy
Started up a brand new day

I’m the rhythm in your tune
I’m the sun and you’re the moon
I’m a bat and you’re the cave
You’re the beach and I’m the wave
I’m the plow and you’re the land
You’re the glove and I’m the hand
I’m the train and you’re the station
I’m a flagpole to your nation – yeah

Stand up all you lovers in the world
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl
Stand up all you lovers in the world
Starting up a brand new day

I’m the present to your future
You’re the wound and I’m the suture
You’re the magnet to my pole
I’m the devil in your soul
You’re the pupil I’m the teacher
You’re the church and I’m the preacher
You’re the flower I’m the rain
You’re the tunnel I’m the train

Stand up all you lovers in the world
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl
Stand up all you lovers in the world
Starting up a brand new day

You’re the crop to my rotation
You’re the sum of my equation
I’m the answer to your question
If you follow my suggestion
We can turn this ship around
We’ll go up instead of down
You’re the pan and I’m the handle
You’re the flame and I’m the candle

Stand up all you lovers in the world
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl
Stand up all you lovers in the world
We’re starting up a brand new day

Photo Credit: A Greater Blue eared Glossy starling basks in the glow of a new day at the Aberdare National Park.

Ghandi puts it more wisely….

“I offer you peace. I offer you love. I offer you friendship. I see your beauty. I hear your [...]]]> Food is such a unifying force and the power of a meal amongst strangers is uniquely energising. That is the concept of canteen culture and the idea behind this unique resort in Kenya.

Ghandi puts it more wisely….

“I offer you peace. I offer you love. I offer you friendship. I see your beauty. I hear your need. I feel your feelings. My wisdom flows from the Highest Source. I salute that Source in you. Let us work together for unity and love.”

Photo Credit: Dinner time at the Treetops Lodge at the Aberdare National Park.

Success in circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm delight

The Truth’s superb surprise.

Emily Dickinson

Humankind cannot bear too much reality.

T S Eliot. “Murder in the Cathedral”

Photo Credit: A couple enjoy a Sunday afternoon at Nairobi’s Central Park.

In a small suburban community, a giraffe had a new home built to his family’s specifications.  It was a wonderful house for giraffes, with soaring ceilings and tall

doorways. High windows ensured maximum light and good views while  protecting the family’s privacy. Narrow hallways [...]]]> Building a House of Diversity: The Fable of the Giraffe and the Elephant.

In a small suburban community, a giraffe had a new home built to his family’s specifications.  It was a wonderful house for giraffes, with soaring ceilings and tall

doorways. High windows ensured maximum light and good views while  protecting the family’s privacy. Narrow hallways saved valuable space without compromising convenience.

So well done was the house that it won the National Giraffe Home of the Year Award.  The home’s owners were very proud.

One day the giraffe, working in his state-of-the-art wood shop in the basement, happened to look out of the window.

Coming down the street was an elephant. “I know him,” he thought. “We worked together on a PTA committee. He’s an excellent woodworker, too. I think I’ll ask him in to see my new shop. Maybe we can even work on some projects.” So the giraffe poked his head out the window and invited the elephant in.

The elephant was delighted; he had liked working with the giraffe and looked forward to knowing him better. Besides, he knew about the wood shop and wanted to see it. So he walked up to the basement door and waited for it to open.

“Come in; come in,” the giraffe said. But immediately they encountered a problem. While the elephant could get his head in the door, he could go no farther.

“It’s a good thing we made this door expandable to accommodate my wood shop equipment,” the giraffe said. “Give me a minute while I take care of our problem.” He removed some bolts and panels to let the elephant in.

The two acquaintances were happily exchanging woodworking stories when the giraffe’s wife leaned her head down the basement stairs and called her husband: “Telephone, dear; it’s your boss.”

“I’d better take that upstairs in the den,” the giraffe told the elephant. “Please make yourself at home; this may take a while.”

The elephant looked around, saw a half-finished piece of work on the lathe table in the far corner, and decided to explore it further. As he moved through the doorway that led to the shop, he heard an ominous scrunch. He backed out, scratching his head.

“Maybe I’ll join the giraffe upstairs,” he thought. But as he started up the stairs, he heard stairs begin to crack. He jumped off and fell back against the wall. It too began to crumble. As he sat there dishevelled and dismayed, the giraffe came down the stairs.

“What on earth is happening here?” the giraffe asked in amazement. “I was trying to make myself at home,” the elephant said.

The giraffe looked around. “Okay, I see the problem. The doorway is too narrow. We’ll have to make you smaller. There’s an aerobics studio near here. If you’d take some classes there, we could get you down to size.”

“Maybe,” the elephant said, not looking very convinced.

“And the stairs are too weak to carry your weight,” the giraffe continued. “If you took a ballet class at night, I’m sure we could get you light on your feet. I really hope you’ll do it. I like having you here.”

“Perhaps,” the elephant said. “But to tell you the truth, I’m not sure a house designed for a giraffe will ever really work for an elephant, not unless there are some major changes.”

(from R. Roosevelt Thomas, (1999) Building a House for Diversity. New York, et.al.: American Management Association, pp. 3-5.)

The question in Diversity Management is: How can we build together a house – our company – where all diversity is respected, finds its space and is actively used?

Much can be derived concerning our understanding of diversity management from the R. Roosevelt Thomas’ fable about the giraffe and the elephant concerning diversity and diversity management.

Photo Credit: A giraffe at the Nairobi National Park.

Ethiopia’s traditions, recorded and elaborated in a 13th century treatise, the “Kebre Negest“, assert descent from a retinue of Israelites who returned with the Queen of Sheba from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem, by whom she had conceived the Solomonic dynasty’s founder, Menelik I.

Both Christian and Jewish Ethiopian tradition [...]]]> Lion of Judah in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s traditions, recorded and elaborated in a 13th century treatise, the “Kebre Negest“, assert descent from a retinue of Israelites who returned with the Queen of Sheba from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem, by whom she had conceived the Solomonic dynasty’s founder, Menelik I.

Both Christian and Jewish Ethiopian tradition has it that these immigrants were mostly of the Tribes of Dan and Judah; hence the Ge’ez motto Mo`a ‘Anbessa Ze’imnegede Yihuda (”The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has conquered”), included among the titles of the Emperor (King of Kings) throughout the Solomonic Dynasty.

It is unknown whether John of Patmos was directly aware of this hereditary title when he penned it into the text of the prophecy.

The Lion of Judah motif figured prominently on the old imperial flag, currency, stamps, etc. and may still be seen gracing the terrace of the capital as a national symbol.

After the collapse of the Communist Derg in 1990 and the increase of Western-style political freedoms, a minor political party bearing the name Mo’a Anbessa made its appearance.

Lion of Judah in Rastafari

In Rastafari, “The Lion of Judah” represents Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, crowned November 2, 1930 with the titles King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God and Power of the Trinity.

Rastas hold that Selassie is a direct descendant of the Israelite Tribe of Judah through the lineage of King David and Solomon, and that he is also the Lion of Judah mentioned in the Book of Revelation.

Photo credit: A lioness at Nairobi’s National Park.