So am here seated in a lovely concert hall on a beautiful sarturday evening. A music school was about to showcase what its students have been doing for the past few months. I looked around the hall and watched it slowly fill up with friends and family of the students, each face gleaming with excitement and expectation , and most of all…..pride.
The audience was a cocktail of colors, shapes and sizes. I threw myself in my thoughts and wondered how different we all were, but at the same time bound together with some unexplainable power. This evening, it didnt matter what our stories were. We were one. Our common goal – to celebrate art it its beautiful form of song.
The program started, and our jaws dropped as we watched the students one by one dazzle us with voices so good and powerful enough to force you into a trance. Sounds of loud clapping and cheering accompanied each performer off the stage. It was beautiful.
Rachel Kuba was now next on stage. My palms started sweating and my heart pounded against my chest. I was so eager to see her sing and wanted her to do well. So i closed my eyes and crossed my fingers. Suddenly, a wave of calmness washed over me, my heartbeat slowed down. She had started singing. And beautiful it was. There was pin-drop silence in the hall. Each eye fixated on Rachel, each ear grasping what it could. There was so much joy, love, anger, fear, grace…name it all. She took us on her journey through that one song. She spoke to each and everyone of us is some wierd way. When she was done, the shouts, cheers, whistling and clapping could make you go deaf.
If i wasnt sure before, at that moment i was more than sure..I said to myself, “I have to hear her story!”
Here is part 1 of our interview:
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“There are two ways of exerting one’s strength: One is pushing down, the other is pulling up.” – Booker T. Washington.
That’s one of the quotes that gets one thinking. And listening to Rachel’s story justified the quote even more. The world is full of constant hoops to be jumped. How high someone jumps to overcome them, always seems like the optimal prize. But the fact that someone attempted to jump at all, tops it all.
Thank you Rachel for teaching us that. Thank you for being brave enough to face the world head on, and giving us the courage to fight on.
Mental health is just as important as the physical. We need to talk about it and act as support systems for those who need us in their darkest moments.
Rachel’s dream survived depression and an attempt on her life. Now, she is set on helping others get out of dispair.
Watch part 2 of her interview to find out more:
I do hope that Rachel was able to encourage you. I look forward to sharing with you more inspiring stories.
Author:
Philly Yambo Makora
