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Habit, a really big small word, is one of the cornerstones
of life as we know it. However you wish to package
it and by whatever name you wish to call it, it is
the very foundation on which identifiable, rational
and comprehensible life is usually based.
Whether in childhood, youth, adulthood, or old age; as
people, our lives have a tendency to settle into a
routine. Out of practice or simply out of necessity,
people establish a way of doing something and they
just keep on keeping with it, seeing as we are after
all, creatures of habit.
Every beautiful and wondrous thing that we may choose to
talk about in life has some sort of wont attached to
it. Many times, that elusive creature that we call
'love' grows out of habit; passion often dies down
into routine; excellence is sometimes accomplished
through convention; highest aptitudes are often seen
through his repetitious action.
On the other hand, all the ugly and brutal things that you
might want to mention are not exempt from being
habitual either. Consider a person's inclination
towards killing; if recurrent then, I suppose, with
practice comes mastery and brutality.
The routine of commanding others can sometimes transmute
into tyranny, whether in a small working environment
or on a larger national and international political
arena. A consistent pattern of success can and often
will breed narcissism. I could go on and on…
Here is the thing. If life is a habit, then no matter where
it is we have come from and no matter what set of
convictions and independent ways and mannerisms we
have brought along with us - we who have made Addis
Abeba our home after years of being away from it -
have, without knowing it [as habit is an action that
is done unconsciously or without premeditation],
fallen into the habit of being Abeshas.
Perhaps that sounds a little mangled, so please, give me
the chance to explain myself.
Falling to the habit of being an Abesha can simply
be defined as picking up those very same mannerisms
and dispositions that we are so quick to abhor and
condescend. Take, for instance, the simple little
feat called driving. I do not know about the rest of
you but I will be the first to admit I sometimes
catch myself doing some of the stupidest things on
the road, things that I would never even begin to
attempt in any other driving condition in the
civilized world.
I cross the street where there is no zebra crossing, like
many other of our pedestrian friends across town,
knowing full well that it is a senseless and quite
dangerous thing to do. I may even hop on the zebra
crossing just when the light is about to turn green
, again something that is somewhat hazardous, but of
course, a little Abeshaism you pick up.
Another negative habit people have a tendency to pick up is
that of time management. People that used to plan
their schedules down to the minute are arriving ten
and fifteen minutes late to important appointments,
spending more time at lunch, taking longer coffee
breaks and building up a social life (both in and
out of the office) that is out of this world.
These are the typical and traditional constitutions and
routines of the Abesha. Time is something
that is flexible, nothing to worry about, you know,
that is how things usually work out.
On a more positive note, there are also wonderful aspects
of falling into the habit of being an Abesha
that you would otherwise need a strict etiquette
school to accomplish. One has a way of falling into
lower tones, more elegant walks and modes of dress,
perhaps even learning to be a lady or gentleman
where once one may have been a boy, girl, man or
woman.
However, you may wish to define habit - or whatever parts
of your life you may identify it in. It is there,
woven into the very fabric of reality and existence.
Since we do not consciously make a decision to go
out and pick up a habit, if and when we do recognize
it in ourselves, it may come as a surprise or even a
devastating shock.
Having recognized the habit of falling into being an
Abesha - that is being executed by those very
same proponents of change and difference [including
myself], I swallow the realization like a bit of a
bitter pill that I know is going to bring respite to
illness for sure. It is big, dry and horrible to put
down, but once it is said and done; there is nothing
that could have been worth not having done it at
all.
I have to admit, I appreciate some of the very habits that
I write about today, there are others that I am
consciously trying to eradicate, but most of all, I
have dealt with the whole thing with a lot more
understanding and appreciation that I would have
expected from myself.
The best part about all this is that finally, whatever tree
any of us may have been barking up and whatever
experiences we had been a part of, when it came time
to make the final decision to be a member of this
society and live amongst its people, we also
unconsciously chose to be those people.
Like I have been arguing from the beginning, there is
nothing more characteristic of life than the habits
that make them up and make them feel whole. As we
live life here in the forgotten corners of the
world, fighting to rise up from the bottom of the
rung, we have our ways about us. Those little things
that we do everyday that without realizing have
actually done the amazing and turned us into
Abeshas. |
