Heartbreak and Hope

South Africa has a beat to it, under my feet like a heart.
Energy healing in KwaZulu Natal, land of the Zulus, never conquered
Rutted roads, few cars, tramp of children’s feet running to school,
Concrete floors, rug mats, naps side-by-side, coughs carry fast
A meal a day, bread and a slice or two of cheese

Hands lifted, forgotten child, all bones, no touch, in a preemie incubator
Three healers, hot and hotter, bring down a cascade of love, unending and glorious
“Be not afraid,” his small chest, imperceptible motion’s rise and fall, “please, move!”
Arms stretch wide, a blessing, looking like an angel’s wings, a curl of smile
Healing doesn’t guarantee life, but going home on torrents of love, children die unafraid

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I went to South Africa four times to do this kind of energy healing with South Africans and other healers from around the world, and fell in love. I never went to Capetown, or on safari, only to the townships. The people I met were some of the most loving and generous I have ever known.

That said, I recently had a conversation with a South African friend who says that her experience is very different from mine. She described Alexandria as a great place to party as a teenager and Soweto as full of music. As a white person there, I was both inspired and sometimes afraid to stand out because my skin is white. Grateful for my friends and their honest conversation…