Ukufunda Kuqala Esibelethweni

KUARISTOTLE ingqondo yomntwana lapho ezalwa yayiyitabula rasa, isileti esingabhaliwe. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezimbili kamuva, abaningi babesayibheka ngendlela efanayo. “Lapho umntwana esanda kuzalwa,” kubhala uprofesa wezokwelapha waseYunivesithi yasePennsylvania ngo-1895, “akahlukile kunemfino ngokuhlakanipha.” Izinganekwane azivumanga futhi zathi usana lwalufunda esibelethweni futhi lwalukuqaphela okwakwenzeka ngaphandle. Isayensi manje ithi bobabili uAristotle noprofesa banephutha nokuthi abezinganekwane baqinisile.

Ubuchopho bunesiqalo esincane, kodwa yeka ukuthi bumangalisa kanjani lapho sebuphelile! Ukukhula kwabo kuqala phakathi nesonto lesithathu lokukhulelwa njengolwelwesi lwamangqamuzana olubizwa ngokuthi ineural plate. Isazi sezinzwa uRichard M. Restak sisitshela ngalokho eba yikho ekupheleni kokukhulelwa: “Kodwa kulesosiqalo esihle kuyokhula isitho esimangalisa kunazo zonke endaweni yonke eyaziwayo.” Lenqubo iqala mhlawumbe ngamangqamuzana angu-125 000 futhi yanda ngesilinganiso sangu-250 000 ngomzuzu. URestak uyanezela: “Ekugcineni ayophindaphindeka abe yizinzwa eziyizigidi zezigidi eziyikhulu eziyisisekelo sayo yonke imisebenzi yobuchopho.”

Njengoba ubuchopho bukhula, kwakhekha izihlanganiso phakathi kwamaneuron abo. Ngesonto lesishiyagalombili, lezihlanganiso, ezibizwa ngokuthi amasynapse, zisuke sezikhula futhi ngokushesha zifinyelele ezigidini njengoba zisingatha imisebenzi emininginingi yobuchopho bombungu. Futhi kungalesikhathi—ukuphela kwenyanga yesibili yokukhulelwa—lapho “konke okuyotholakala kumuntu okhule ngokugcwele . . . sekukhona,” ngokwencwadi etuswa kabanzi ethi A Child Is Born. Zonke izingxenye zawo zomzimba zisendaweni, futhi awuselona ihlule. Ibanga lombungu lokukhula nokuphelela kwemininingwane seliqalile. Ngisho nakuba kunjalo, abakhiphi bezisu abanamahloni ukusitshela ukuthi awuphili.

Ukunyakaza kokuqala kombungu kuqala emasontweni ayisikhombisa nengxenye. Emasontweni angu-13 izinzwa zokunambitha zisuke sezisebenza, futhi kamuva uma ushukela unezelwa oketshezini lolwebu oluzungeze umbungu, isilinganiso sokugwinya siphindeka kabili. Kodwa uma kwenezelwa okuthile okunganambitheki, umbungu ukuyeka ngokushesha ukugwinya futhi ubiphe ukuze ugcizelele ukungajabuli kwawo. Emasontweni angu-15 nangu-16, ukuphefumula, ukushaywa intwabi, ukuncela, ukugwinya, ukuzamula, ukunyakaza kwamehlo—futhi emasontweni alandelayo ubuthongo obubizwa ngokuthi iREM—konke lokhu kusuke sekwenzeka. “Ngezinga elilinganiselwe,” kusho uRestak, “umbungu nawo uyakwazi ukuzwa, ukubona, ukunambitha, ukuhogela, nokuzwela endaweni engaphakathi kwesibeletho.” Kodwa abakhiphi bezisu basiqinisekisa ngokuthi awukabi isidalwa esiphilayo.

Usana olusanda kuzalwa lukhumbula izinto olwaluzizwa esibelethweni—ngokwesibonelo, ukushaya kwenhliziyo kanina. Lwalulolozelwa yilowomsindo luze lulale, luvukela kuwo, luphunyuzwa yiwo, lushukunyiswa ukushaya kwawo okunesigqi. Kwakuwumngane wasikhathi sonke, kunikeza umuzwa wokuthula nokulondeka. Abacwaningi bafakazela amandla awo athophayo kokunye ukuhlola egumbini lokubelethisa. Abantwana abalaleliswa ukushaya kwenhliziyo yomuntu okuqoshiwe babengakhali kakhulu futhi bephila kangcono kunalabo ababengakulaleliswanga. Ngokuthakazelisayo, “imisindo yangaphakathi kwesibeletho neminye iyathopha (ezinsaneni ezipaquzayo) kuphela lapho idlalwa ngamazinga afana nalawo atholakala esibelethweni.”

Ubuchopho bombungu abuhilelekile nje kuphela emisebenzini engaphakathi kwesibeletho kodwa futhi uphawula futhi ukhumbula izinto ezenzeka ngaphandle. “UVivaldi ongumunye wabaqambi bomculo othandeka kakhulu kumntwana ongakazalwa,” kusho uDkt. Thomas Verny. “UMozart ungomunye. Uma kwakudlalwa enye yezingoma zakhe eziphakamayo, kubika uDkt. Clements, izinhliziyo zemibungu zazishaya kahle ngokungaguquguquki futhi ukukhahlela kwancipha. . . . Ngakolunye uhlangothi, zonke izinhlobo zerock zabangela ukuba imibungu eminingi ipaquze.”

UDkt. Anthony DeCasper, isazi sokusebenza kwengqondo eYunivesithi yaseNyakatho Carolina, waklama ingono engenalutho elinganisa izinga nomfutho wokuncela kosana. Ngokushintshashintsha indlela yalo yokuncela, usana lufunda ukukhetha imisindo eqoshiwe olufuna ukuyizwa—ngokwesibonelo, amaphimbo athile nezinganekwane. Usana olusanda kuzalwa olusenehora noma amabili ubudala luyakwazi ukuzwa iphimbo likayise, owayekhulume nalo ngamazwi amafushane athophayo lapho lusesibelethweni. Lomntwana akakhethanga nje kuphela lelophimbo ukuze alilalele kodwa futhi wayesabela ngokomzwelo futhi ayeke ukukhala, ezizwa elondekile. Ngendlela efanayo, wayekhetha iphimbo likanina ukuze alilalele, kanye nokushaya kwenhliziyo yakhe, kokubili ayesejwayelene nakho esibelethweni.

Kokunye ukuhlola, uDeCasper wacela abesifazane abakhulelwe abangu-16 ukuba bafunde ngokuzwakalayo inganekwane yabantwana enesihloko esithi The Cat in the Hat. Babeyifunda kabili nsuku zonke emasontweni okugcina ayisithupha nengxenye okukhulelwa kwabo. Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba abantwana bezelwe, bafakwa emshinini wokuncela, futhi badlalelwa izinganekwane ezimbili, ethi The Cat in the Hat nethi The King, the Mice and the Cheese. Ngezivinini zabo zokuncela, abantwana kuzo zonke izimo babekhetha ethi The Cat in the Hat njengabathanda ukuyilalela, inganekwane ababeyizwe besesibelethweni. Babeyikhetha ngokuphindaphindiwe esikhundleni sethi The King, the Mice and the Cheese, ababengayizwanga esibelethweni. Abantwana banoma ibuphi ubudala benza okufanayo, ngaso sonke isikhathi befuna ukuzwa inganekwane abayithandayo ngokuphindaphindiwe, kunokuba bezwe entsha.

UDeCasper waphetha: “Kubonakala sengathi abakhetha ukukuzwa ngemva kokuzalwa kuthonywa yilokho abakuzwa ngaphambi kokuzalwa.” UDkt. Restak, owabika lokhu akutholile, uthi: “Ingane ifunda isesibelethweni, iqaphela iphimbo likanina, ngisho nephimbo acula ngalo nayo kanye nencwadi ayifundayo.” Isiphetho sakhe: “Ngamanye amazwi, imibungu inekhono lokufunda imisindo ngokuqhubekayo esibelethweni ezinyangeni eziningi ngaphambi kokuba ilidinge ngempela noma ilindeleke ukuba ilisebenzise.”

Ingane iye yafunda okuningi esibelethweni. Ikuhlomele kahle ukufunda. Konke okwandulelayo kubonisa ukuthi ngisho nasesibelethweni ubuchopho buyamangalisa. Ngesikhathi bulapho, buzuza isilinganiso sabo esiphelele sezinzwa. “Lapho usana luzalwa, ubuchopho balo bunezinzwa ezengeziwe obungakha ngazo izimiso obungasoze baba nazo futhi,” ngokwesazi sesayensi yezinzwa. Kusukela ekusungulekeni kwakho, lokhu kuphila okusha esibelethweni bekulokhu kumatasa izinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili kwenza lezigidi zezigidi zezinzwa futhi kudala izigidi zezigidi zezihlanganiso phakathi kwazo, kwenza kube nokwenzeka ukunyakaza, ukuphefumula, ukuncela, ukugwinya, ukunambitha, ukuchama, ukuzwa, ukubona, ukufunda, nokukhumbula. Umuntu ohlakaniphile angasho kanjani ukuthi lesidalwa asiphili?

Izazi eziningi zesayensi nezigidi zabanye ngokunengqondo bakholelwa ukuthi ukuphila kuqala esibelethweni ngesikhathi sokukhulelwa. Encwadini yakhe ethi The Mind, uDkt. Restak uthi: “Isiqalo sangempela nesenzakalo esibaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwethu ngokusobala isikhathi sokukhulelwa ngomama bethu. AmaShayina ayakuqaphela lokhu ngokubala iminyaka yobudala kusukela kulesosikhathi; ingane ibhekwa njengenonyaka owodwa ubudala lapho izalwa.”

Namuhla, abaningi bathanda ukukholelwa ukuthi abantwana akufanele babhekwe njengokuphila, umuntu, kuze kube yilapho bezalwa, kodwa iZwi likaNkulunkulu alivumi. Uma umntwana ebulawa ngamabomu ngokukhipha isisu, umthetho kaNkulunkulu uwukuthi: ‘Ukuphila ngokuphila.’ Lokhu kuqiniswa incwadi kaEksodusi 21:22, 23: “Uma abantu belwa, balimaze owesifazane okhulelweyo, size siphuphume isisu sakhe, kungaveli enye ingozi kodwa, wohlawuliswa impela njengalokho indoda yomfazi iyakubeka kuye, akhokhe njengesinqumo sabahluleli. Uma kuvela ingozi, wokwenana ukuphila ngokuphila.”

Nakuba ingane isesesibelethweni, uJehova uyibheka njengomuntu ophilayo. Ukuthi iwumuntu ophilayo kusobala kukho konke ekwenzayo esibelethweni. Isayensi manje iyazi ukuthi zonke izingxenye zayo zomzimba zisuke zikhona futhi zisebenza ekupheleni kwenyanga yesibili, ukuthi iyazwela, iyafunda, futhi iyakhumbula. Ngokuqinisekile ingqondo yosana olusanda kuzalwa ayisona ‘isileti esingabhaliwe’ njengoba uAristotle asho, futhi akukhona ukuthi ingane isuke inolwazi ‘olungaphezudlwana kolwemifino’ njengoba kwasho uprofesa waseyunivesithi. Inazo zonke izinzwa okwakumelwe ibe nazo, futhi ikulungele ukugcina konke okusha ekubonayo nemisindo nemizwa manje esiyizungezile. Isilungele ukusebenza! Noma ingabe kunjalo?

Umama angenza okuningi ngokwenhlala-kahle yengane esesibelethweni sakhe, noma angayilimaza. Imicabango yakhe ingayithonya, kahle noma kabi. Akukhona ukuthi umbungu uyocabanga ngendlela kanina; kodwa imicabango agxila kuyo ibangela imizwelo, futhi umbungu uyathinteka ngezimo ezingokomzwelo ezibangelwa yileyomicabango, kungaba eyokulondeka, isizotha, nokuthula noma eyokukhathazeka, ukwesaba, nentukuthelo. Okubi nangaphezulu, izifo ezithathelwanayo zingadluliselwa umama embungwini ngeplacenta. Izifo ezithathelwana ngobulili, ngisho nengculaza, zingadluliselwa. Omama labo okuthi ngesikhathi sokukhulelwa basebenzise ugwayi, insangu, utshwala, imorphine, icocaine, iheroin, nezinye izidakamizwa bangazala izingane eziyimilutha yezidakamizwa, eziphazamisekile ngokwengqondo, ezinobuchopho obulimele, ezikhubazekile ngokomzimba, eziyizisulu zokufa uhlangothi, ukuquleka, neminye imiphumela emibi.

Ingane esesibelethweni ayivikelekile ezweni langaphandle njengoba abanye abaningi beke bacabanga. Nakuba isesibelethweni, ingaphathwa ngothando noma ihlukunyezwe ngonya. Ukuphi ukuphathwa ekulindele lapho ishiya isibeletho? Ukufunda kwayo kuqale esibelethweni, kodwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwayo kokufunda kuyoba yini lapho ifika kulelizwe? Kwethenjwa ukuthi abazali abanothando abanomshado ojabulayo bayokwenza lokho okuhlangenwe nakho kube kuhle.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 14]

“Isitho esimangalisa kunazo zonke endaweni yonke eyaziwayo”

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 14]

Amasonto ayisishiyagalombili, futhi zonke izingxenye zayo zisendaweni

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 15]

Umuntu ohlakaniphile angasho kanjani ukuthi lesidalwa asiphili?

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni 17]

Izazi eziningi zesayensi zikholelwa ukuthi ukuphila kuqala ngesikhathi sokukhulelwa

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Emasontweni ayisishiyagalombili, ungamasentimitha amane ubude, futhi zonke izingxenye zawo zomzimba zisendaweni yazo

[Umthombo]

Photo: Lennart Nilsson for A Child Is Born - 1976 ed./Dell Publishing Co. (also page 2)