Kweku’s Korner
By Dr. Kweku Akyirefi Amoasi
Our elders, guardians, and parents have the primary responsibility to teach ethics, morals, and values. The difficulty is how to explain difficult concepts to children whose brains are still developing and not ready for detailed cognitive demanding explanations. We turn to fables, myths, and parables. A fable is a short, fictional story, often featuring anthropomorphic animals that convey a moral lesson or truth. A myth is a traditional story, often involving supernatural beings or events, that attempts to explain the origins of a culture, beliefs, or natural phenomenon. A parable is a short, simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, often employing relatable characters and events to convey a deeper truth or principle.
In the gospels of the Bible, Jesus is attributed to giving over 30 parables and some historians account for over 250 in the book itself. The Koran is stated to give over 40 parables. The Bhagavad Gita does not have traditional parables, per se. However, it uses analogies and stories to convey deeper messages. The Tao Te Ching uses parables and metaphors and will speak on water, emptiness, and the natural world. My favorite book is Aesop’s Favorite Fables, which boasts over 130 lessons for children and adults. The Book of the Dead does not hold any parables, as it reflects more on the afterlife, but there are hundreds of African proverbs that explain complex situations within a few lines. The point is that it does not matter what corner of the earth you live on, the use of parables is a universal language with children. The bigger theme and truth routinely revolve around the importance, beauty, and strength of women.
In this age of Chat GBT, I asked the Artificial Intelligence link to give me an analogy for a mother’s love. It made pronouncements of unwavering sources of light and warmth; 2) a nurturing garden; 3) a comforting harbor; 4) a boundless ocean; and 5) a tireless cow. A tireless cow continues to pay for us consistently without ever asking for anything in return. Rappers like DMX and Kendrick Lamar have stated in their lyrics that grandmothers are the ones who pray fervently and consistently. They are always the ones who are connected to the infinite intelligence that can give us the solution to our problems. The patriarchal figures usually represent strength, protection, and wisdom; however, the proverbs state it is better to meet a she bear robbed of her cubs than a foolish person lost in their foolishness. This means that though fathers are the protectors, mothers are fiercer protectors, better dispensers of knowledge, and generous and undying in their love.
In psychology class, Freud taught that women had penis envy and that they wanted to be men.
However, many believe this is Freud’s, and many men’s thoughts, being projected inward from having vagina envy. In a world where men want to express their virility and power, what is more powerful than nurturing life and producing life? There is no one image in the world that evokes power, resilience, sacrifice, strength, perseverance, and love more powerful than a woman in her third trimester. The Woman is GOD!