Zambia: an introduction

"We need to let ourselves tell our stories of love—how love came to us over the course of our lives, or how it did not come, or how it left. We need to tell the story so that we understand." - Gerald May

She said to tell the story of how things fell apart—or how they didn’t. I say this is all part of a bigger story of love—love that sometimes came, sometimes didn’t, and sometimes left. If I don’t tell this story, I will never understand. If I don’t tell this story, you will never understand. But even after you read this, hear this, know this, you will still never understand. I was afflicted with Africa and changed forever. Although you may recognize that Zambia has impacted me, you may not always acknowledge the change. You have moved on. I understand. I have moved on too, but not without these scars. Don’t ask me to be who I was before Africa. I no longer know that person. Don’t ask. Instead be quiet, stay still. Imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened. Listen to my story. Later on you can decide what sympathy I deserve.