Things Fall Apart: Ancestors

While reading Things Fall Apart, the quote "A man's life from birth to death was a series of transition rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors" (Achebe, 89) in chapter 13 really struck me, and lead me to think about how our past shapes our future.

The first reason the quote grabbed my attention was while the whole clan was trying to become closer and closer with their ancestors, Okonkwo does the exact opposite. His actions are geared towards appearing strong and dominant, so he does not resemble his father. Additionally, he will do anything not to appear weak, even if it means breaking Peace Week and disappointing his ancestors with his unruly actions. Okonkwo's fear of resembling his father keeps him from embracing who he really is, and becoming close with his ancestors.

The second reason why I found the quote interesting was I could easily relate it to today. Our lives are often shaped by the actions of our ancestors, just like Okonkwo. Whether we meet the expectations set for us, or start a whole new set, the present is shaped by our past.

Additionally, as we mature, we get closer to our ancestors. That can be interpreted two different ways. The first would be that as we get older, we get closer to death, which, in turn, brings us closer to those who died before us. The second, and happier, interpretation is as we get older, we have to go through transitions that resemble those our ancestors had to face, such as marriage or working, which brings us closer to our past. It seems that no matter how hard we fight against our past, ultimately we must face it at some point our life time.

"How an Obese Town Lost a Million Pounds"

 In the TED talk video I watched, the Mayor of Oklahoma City, Mick Cornett, discussed how he got the entire city to lose 1 million pounds in just 5 years. His video stood out to me for two reasons. The first reason was that I too had lost a substantial amount of weight a few years back, and wondered how a mayor could motivate an entire city to do it and what method he used; and the second reason was because the title really stood out to me. I mean a million pounds? That's a lot!
Cornett discovered that Oklahoma City had a problem when reading "Most Obese Cities" in Men's Fitness. Instead of pushing the problem aside, Cornett took action. His solution surprised me. He simply shaped transportation around walking instead of driving. The small change he made led to Oklahoma City being feature in the "Fittest Cities" in a copy of Men's Fitness five years later.
Cornett really inspired me. He could have easily overlooked the article, or simply have no interest in helping the citizens of Oklahoma City slim down. However, he took interest in the health of the citizens in Oklahoma city, and didn't let the daunting task scare him. Reflecting on his actions made me realize how often I do the exact opposite. In situations where I am not sure whether I will succeed or not, I tend to find ways to get out of them in fear of failure. I learned from Cornett that when you face a challenge head on, the result can be extremely rewarding.