Cradle of Humanity

Who are you? How old are you? What are your achievements so far? Are you happy with them? Or do you want more? It's that time of our lives, right? We ask these questions and scrutinize our responses more intently than ever. 

I just turned 32. My name is Annie. Or Naariah (child of God), an awesome metaphor! I aspire to change lives. Perhaps I'm doing that already but only God can answer for sure. I am of African descent. Cameroonian. Sometimes, culturally jaded; I moved to the US at 19, lived there for 10 years then moved home for 3 years then moved back to the US again. I wanted to become a flight attendant, then a journalist, then a sales professional. Never a physician...yet that's what I became.

Is it possible for someone to have "so much" yet so little? Think about it; I'm sure it makes sense. You know, like you have a job, a nice circle of fr-amily and a busy social life...yet something's missing. 

The first time I heard about "cradle of civilization" I remember asking myself "how come Africa?" We are the most underdeveloped, needy and most vulnerable. It was quite ironical; how come the place where humankind was nurtured in its earlier stage, is today in several respects, still the baby of the family? It didn't make sense, just as much as that inner hollow people feel despite their palpable success. But I wanted to dig deeper. And then it hit me that perhaps I was going about it the wrong way. It wasn't about being the perfect place, but about a good home, where the right values would be taught and would make us whole. 

 www.goaway.com. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

I was in Cameroon for 3 years. I still don't know if Africa is the cradle of humanity, but that's what she is to me. There's something about that place that does something to you; it's like going back to basics (you've got to experience it for yourself!). And after everything, I can say I found what I was looking for. It was sitting somewhere in the midst of that simplicity and serenity, and found solace there. So... where is your cradle of humanity?