eminado

All my Afro-pop fans know what I’m talking about. For you Americans, “eminado” is a beautiful word invented by the Nigerian pop producer Don Jazzy for the super-catchy Tiwa Savage single of the same name. The music video has 25 million views on YouTube — go on, make it 25 million and one.

Anyway, “eminado” means “good-luck charm.” What single word in English do we have to mean good-luck charm? I guess you could just say “charm,” but it has other meanings that muddy the waters; so too with “fetish.” Amulets refer to jewelry. Juju, totem, idol: no no no. Phylactery — whoever heard of a phylactery? The only word that comes close is “talisman,” but it sounds ominous to me (blame it on Stephen King and Peter Straub). I’ll stick with eminado, thanks.

Now, do I actually believe that the black tourmaline created a forcefield of protection? Well, I haven’t read any peer-reviewed studies that prove or disprove the existence of a forcefield of protection created by black tourmaline, if that’s what you’re asking. And I certainly wouldn’t put myself in dangerous situations and think, “Hey, no worries — I’ll let the black tourmaline take the heat on this one.”

But I’d cheer for a marathon runner. Wouldn’t you?

And since there weren’t throngs of people lined up across America to cheer me on, I could make do with eminado.

The mojo bag: an earnest gift, Deb and Peter’s way of saying they believed in what I was doing and wished me a safe journey. The four-leaf clover at the front of my bike, leading the way. The pink bandana, which has accompanied me on every adventure since that road trip with my sister; a constant reminder that I’ve already come a long way. My auspicious turkey feather, giving Lucky wings to fly. And my mission.

On one level, I recognized that doing this bike tour for a cause made me a sympathetic figure — who wouldn’t want to lend a hand to a kind-hearted Returned Peace Corps Volunteer helping a smart poor kid chase his dream? But I also felt my mission protected me on a karmic level. I wasn’t just helping Friday; I was exuding positive energy, and inspiring positivity in others.

I’m not sure kindness is inherent; nor cruelty, for that matter. It’s a choice. In a world where bad things sometimes happen for no reason, how powerful is it that we always have the choice to be kind? And how beautifully simple this truth: the more good things we put out into the world, the more good things there will be in the world to find.