PELO E JA SERATI, SEBATLELWA GA E SE JE.
This is a Setswana proverb of which I will break
down, word by word to translate it.
Pelo= heart
E ja= eats
Serati=love
Sebatelwa=offering
Ga e =does not
Se je= eat
Directly translated it says, “The heart eats
what it wants, anything else offered it does not bite”. Psht …god knows the
heart has no mouth to eat (LOL). But the general meaning of the proverb is
that, a heart wants what it wants or that a loving heart knows no bounds. This
Setswana proverb reminds me of Botswana’s very own African mourning collared
dove. These are devoted loving birds that symbolize romance. When the male
mourning collared dove is ready to mate, he performs a wooing ritual of bows
and coos in front of the female he’s interested in. if she accepts the
advances, the two become one if you know what I mean. The mourning collared
doves mate for life. The couple has a bond so strong that can go beyond death
for a season. The doves have been known to occasionally visit the place where
their mate has died in remembrance of the love they shared. Interesting huh?
From these birds, we learn the power of the heart that chooses, “pelo e ja
serati.” Since this is the month of love, be sure to share it with that one
person your heart feels strongly connected to. I don’t know who that person
might be or what got you drawn to make them your choice. Perhaps it’s their charisma,
their smile, their kindness, their touch, or the look in their eyes that speaks
to your soul. Whatever it might be, be sure it’s what your heart chose, and
stick to it. Happy Valentine’s Day, and remember,"sebatlelwa ga e se je."
#TheeAuroraSays
