It's a privilege to serve the poor, to be servants of noble Africans, but I better belong in the rehearsal room or in the studio with my band. That's where I want to be and I still wake up in the morning with melodies in my head.
Ethiopia didn't just blow my mind; it opened my mind. Anyway, on our last day at this orphanage a man handed me his baby and said, 'Would you take my son with you?' He knew, in Ireland, that his son would live, and that in Ethiopia, his son would die.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the deep emotional impact of witnessing poverty and the difficult choices some parents must make for the survival of their children.
Bono's quote captures the struggle between hope and despair that he experienced during his visit to Ethiopia. It highlights a father's heartbreaking decision to offer his child a chance at life in a different country, emphasizing the disparity in living conditions and opportunities between Ethiopia and Ireland. This poignant moment underlines the interconnectedness of humanity and the personal sacrifices made in desperate situations.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about global poverty and the importance of providing help to those in need.
More from Bono
All quotes βPerspective is the cure for depression.
At a certain point, I just felt, you know, God is not looking for alms, God is looking for action.
It's much easier to be successful than it is to be relevant. The tricks won't keep you relevant. Tricks might keep you popular for a while, but in all honesty, I don't know how U2 will stay relevant. I know we've got a future. I know we can fill stadiums. And yet with every record, I think, 'Is this it? Are we still relevant?'
God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.
Hanging out with politicians and corporations is very unhip work. But I think that the U2 audience have turned out to be incredibly subtle in their understanding.
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