Great Events

“Great events may stem from words of no importance.”

I have a weakness for classic West African proverbs. My mentor, the illustrious Dr. Daniel Black, used to train me with proverbs. Driving to his favorite fishing hole, Black (or Baba, as I call him), he’d just start rattling off proverbs. “Daughter, the teeth are smiling but is the heart?” My task was to determine the meaning or significance of the proverb. The first proverb he ever told me was “proverbs are the palm oil with which wisdom is eaten.” In essence, it is easier to absorb the lesson when it comes tasty and digestible.

I chose this proverb as my first blog post because it is a call to take everything you say, read, or hear and chew on it. It might seem inconsequential, but later prove to sustain you in ways you would not have imagined. Let’s hope these words feed you—and me.