Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Written by Sehin Belew (EA4C Guest Blogger)

Ethiopia is one of the most stunning places on earth. Our motto is “13 Months of Sunshine” because of its wonderful, sunny climate–even during the couple of months during the rainy season. Travelers marvel at the incredible greenery, majestic mountains, and—most of all—Ethiopia’s beautiful people. Ethiopia’s existence dates back almost 3,000 years. Here, in fact, is where the legendary skeleton of Lucy was discovered. She is evidence of one of the earliest traces of our hominid ancestors—she is slightly older than 3.2 million years old.

However, more than anything else, the beauty of Ethiopia is our culture. If any culture has grasped the fact that life is short, Ethiopia certainly belongs in the top tier of candidates. Growing up, I could never understand why, when someone came to our house, even unannounced, my mom would drop whatever she was doing and invite the person in. It did not matter what time of day it was; she would offer the visiting individual a meal. She would sit down and share, laugh, and cry with the “uninvited” guest. I witnessed this throughout all the years I was growing up. My mom, through her actions, taught my siblings and me that life is all about sharing what you have with others–even when you have the least of which to share.

When I went to Ethiopia to work as a volunteer at famine relief camps, I saw this graciousness with even more clarity. Each day, the volunteers would give the local people a small can of protein-fortified flour so they could bake bread or make porridge to eat at home. This was their daily ration for the whole family! The volunteers, on the other hand, had more than sufficient food. And yet, there were times when the locals would invite us to share their “ration” knowing that we could eat to our content elsewhere. To me, that was the ultimate sign of generosity and hospitality.

When I saw the Mystery of the Nile, a film produced by IMAX theatres few years back, I was awestruck by the beauty of Ethiopia and her people. Just this week, on December 9th, CNN’s Budget Travel segment featured Ethiopia as being the place to go to on vacation. Evidently, we come from a country that is deeply admired and has a profound and rich history and culture to match. If you have not visited Ethiopia or have not returned for a long while, you will be struck by the beauty of Ethiopia and her people.

I live in Northern California, Silicon Valley, where people move at 400 miles an hour. It is a different environment than the one I witnessed growing up in Ethiopia. However, having an Ethiopian upbringing has enabled me to slow down and smell the roses. My background has truly given me a peaceful balance. Today, no matter how much money there is to be made, I try to keep everything in stride.

I make sure that I have time first for God, second for myself, and third for family and friends before I commit myself to anything else. I want to make sure that I don’t let the wont of money or financial gain overtake my need for spiritual fulfillment nor rob me of the relationships that I cherish. I ensure that I take time each day to cook healthy food, workout, get enough rest and have time for family and friends. At the end of the day, what is most important is not my financial portfolio; instead, my health, my relationship with God, and my family and friends are the core of my essence. I found that I am at my happiest when these things are in synch; no amount of money can supplant this happiness.

Early this year, my aunt passed away at the age of 94. During this time of sorrow, I have noticed that the Ethiopians in this younger generation—who adapt to the fast-paced western lifestyle—are suffering from fatal diseases at a much younger age. I am talking about heart attack, high-blood pressure, and diabetes to name but a few ailments. Though the world around you seems to be running non-stop, you don’t have to follow in the same frantic pace. Take time to enjoy each day; a day is the only asset that you can’t recoup. So, as you make goals and resolutions for 2010, I do hope that you will keep this mantra into consideration—Carpe Diem, seize the day!

Happy holidays and may it be a happy and a blessed one for you and your loved ones!

Sehin was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She lived through political upheaval and famine in that country before embarking on a two-year journey of volunteerism, helping victims in remote famine relief camps, then finally settling in the United States to attend college. In 1988 she was crowned Miss Ethiopia. Sehin lives in northern California and runs her own business.

Her company, “Sehin Belew,” provides image and style consultations as well as seminars on how to look Fabulous for Less. She’s been on more than two dozens television, radio, magazine and newspapers to discuss her new book, Fabulous for Less, Former Miss Ethiopia’s Smart Guide to Beauty, Health, and Fashion (Annotation Press, 2008). You can read more about Sehin at www.sehinbelew.com

The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change. Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community. Please remember to cite source or link story back to EA4C.org for news aggregators that pick this article up.