To Be Needed

One of the young women I am teaching to play the Kora left a message for me last night on my phone. Sounding a little distraught, she explained that she had attempted to tune her Kora, which is an art in and of itself, and altered it to the point where she couldn’t get the proper sounds back.

I returned her call this morning and let her know that it would be alright for her to come back by and I would tune the Kora for her.

When she arrived, she was very apologetic. Although I tried to reassure her that it was absolutely fine, she still remained somewhat apologetic.

We talked while I tuned the Kora. After I finished, she seemed pleased and headed off to work.

After she left, I reflected on my feeling of contentment. I realize that what I was feeling was the joy of having been needed for something. The joy of being able to provide a service to another person. Another aspect, I believe, has to do with being a parent. I don’t think that once you’ve taken to nurturing others that that aspect of your soul just disappears once your children are grown. I think there is a part of most of us that desire “to be needed.”

For me, the tuning of her Kora having gone out of whack was a small but fulfilling blessing.

Just more thoughts, rants and ravings from your friendly neighborhood storyteller.

“Dooni dooni kononi bè nyaga da.”