Quiet Mountain Essays

Copyright© 2004

The 'Luxury' of Happiness
by
Frieda C. Groffy

All of us living in the western hemisphere of the world, also called the 'rich North' compared to the
'poor South', have a superiority attitude, so we take all the privileges we have for granted. We
remain infected with that 'Colonial-Imperialistic Syndrome' that we, for so many decades,
cherished and preserved.

During the 50s and 60s, when all the former colonies, one after another, finally became
independent, the shield of Imperialism endured severe blows.  But, was Imperialism really
defeated? Were those 'new' countries really free, democratic and independent? I honestly don't
think so; for the old 'masters' had some secret cards hidden in their sleeves.  Economic blackmail
ensued - the withdrawal of white western capital- and the policy of divide and rule positioned the
World Bank as 'hangman' or executioner for the 'debts' owed.  But whose debts, what debts, and
made by whom?

Take South-Africa for instance.  The debt she carries was made by the white apartheid regime  
buying, for example, the weapons they used to fight and kill the black people in their struggle for
freedom; and now these black people should pay back those debts?! It's totally absurd.

If you watch carefully what is happening in the world today, you see once more the 'Empire
Dream' take shape.  Bush profiles himself as Emperor George the Great, with his valet Tony Blair,
who, in affiliating himself with the Emperor, gets a modern vision of 'Britannia Rules the Waves'
again! Yet, in their limitless arrogance, the clothes of the Emperor have become invisible!

I was so fortunate to be able to travel a lot.  I travelled with an open mind, an open heart and a lot
of respect for the diversity of cultures in which I became submerged.  I was especially interested in
the position and well-being of the women and children, for they are historically - no matter what
the conflict, from domestic violence to war situations - the most vulnerable victims in all conflicts.    

I was in Moscow at the end of the glasnost period and I saw the dark clothed men with the black
attaché cases arriving, and I knew that the capitalist sell-out had begun.

I revolted to the stench of poverty in my nostrils while visiting the shack's of the Mandela squatter
camp (oh irony!) in the Soweto Township, in South-Africa; and the Roma-gypsy enclaves in
Slovakia.  I felt deeply ashamed after I came out of the shelter of Al-Amiriya in Baghdad, ' a
precision target' from the first Gulf War, where there was no one but civilians - women, children,
and old people - as victims.  

Nowhere was I met with hostility, only with hospitality. I was offered tea and asked where I came
from.  When I answered Belgium, they would smile and say, '"That's very ok."

In this way I crossed Europe, North-and South-Africa, part of the Middle East and Cuba.  I loved
Cuba. The people struck me with their warmth, they greeted me with pride, and looked extremely
healthy, no matter the burden of the embargo.  There, I met a society living as a community.
Families with skin ranging from the whitest white up to the darkest black and all the shades in
between; and I thought how great it would be if I could pass this racism-free heritage on to my
own milk-chocolate granddaughters!

"He who sows hate will harvest hate", the Bible says.  And so much hate has been sown lately that
it is certainly not making the world a better nor safer place! On the contrary.

With all that in mind, I feel so enormously grateful for the fact that, in the Winter of my life, I have
finally found that special someone; my black, beautiful, warm and inspiring, unique soul-mate. It
doesn't even matter that I'm caressed by the waves of the North Sea and she by the Pacific Ocean.
When I feel all the love between us I know that I experience the healing ' luxury of happiness'...and
feel blessed

Contributor's Notes...

Frieda Groffy: Belgian activist,writer, journalist, poet & performer.  Ms. Groffy has published 5 books of
prose and poetry in Dutch (her mother tongue).  After a journey in South Africa, she released a spoken word
CD of poetry in English, called "Voices with Scars".   Ms. Groffy has been invited to return to South Africa
this year, to give workshops in "Image Building and Creative Writing" to young black students from the
townships.  

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