… there were 5 us in the room. I know it because I counted and recounted and counted and recounted again. Why did I have to count so many times? 5 is not a difficult number to count or comprehend. I don’t even need to count, I just need to observe and the number sticks. I can see 5 people, I don’t need to count, but I needed to. Why? Because they ask him a question. They asked him, “how many people are in the room?” He said, 4! Really? How come? He said there are 4 people. They asked him the names, he called out all names, my name was not included. I though he must be short sighted, so I went over to him and introduce myself, gave my name and told him I am in the room. He nodded. So they asked him again, the number of people in the room and again he said 4, and my name was not included.
I got it wrong, he is long sighted, so I moved to a distance where he should be able to see me, and I spoke to him from there and introduce myself again and gave him my name. He nodded. They asked him, how many people were in the room and he said 4 again and my name was not included.
He must be deaf, I thought, so I dressed in the most colourful apparel and became very animated, I did a lot of tricks and turned myself into a clown and he laughed and laughed. So they asked him again, how many people were in the room and he said 4 yet again and my name was not included.
I decided to befriend him personally, I invited him to my house, I cooked lunch for him, I took him out for lunch, I smiled at him every morning, I bought little presents for him and spent time with him in the room. He seemed quite appreciative and I was pleased. It was time for the question and I was quietly positive and expectant . They asked him the number of people in the room and this time I knew what the answer would be, he said 4 again and my name was not included! I was wrong! I did not know the answer!
I had ran out of tricks and exhausted all my options, there was nothing else to do or try, so I left the room and they asked him, how many people were in the room and he said 4, he was right all along, there were only 4 people and I was never there, why did I ever thought there were 5 and that I was in the room?
Time past and someone ask me, how it was in the room? “I don’t know” was my answer. “There were only 4 people in the room”, I told her and I was not one of them, so I really can’t say what happened in the room. So where were you? Was the next question.
Where was I? I thought deep and hard. Where was I when I was in the room, when there were 5 of us and not 4? I bowed my head for what felt like eternity and slowly I lifed my head and looked at my questioner in the face. I looked life in the face and with my head held high up, I responded “I was in the room, I was very much in the room and there were 5 of us and not 4, I was one of them” and I told all that happened in the room. I told my story with my own voice. I narrated the incidents as I saw it unfold and when I finished I rested my case and my questioner nodded and life smiled at me.
Acknowledgement is a powerful thing and sometimes people will not acknowledge us, but we owe it to ourself to acknowledge who we are, our presence, our contributions and whether anyone remembers or acknowledge. It is important we know, where we have been, what we did, who we saw etc.
Always remember, you were there, in the room!
I was in the room!
Beautiful Ivory 