Communication does not always need the same language

 I watched two children playing.

One was mixed race, speaking really good English excitedly as they played, while the other was speaking Lusoga only, answering with equal speed, equal confidence, equal excitement.

What interested me was that neither seemed bothered by the fact that they were not speaking the same language in the same way.

One would say something in English, and the other would answer in Lusoga. Then both would laugh as if nothing unusual had happened. Indeed probably nothing unusual had happened, because somehow they understood each other perfectly, not word for word but  enough to continue the game, enough to keep the jokes alive, enough to chase each other, stop, argue briefly, return, and continue laughing.

It made me think that adults may be the ones who overestimate language and underestimate human instinct. We imagine understanding must always have words we already know or understand, but children often understand connection and intention before words, and can play just as easily.

One child points, the other runs. One protests, the other bargains or defends. One invents a rule, the other immediately breaks it, and somehow the game survives. No one paused to ask, "Which language shall we use?" and no one looked embarrassed and there was definitely no apology for not knowing enough. They were just two small people building a conversation from laughter, tone, gesture, speed, and trust.

And maybe that is how many things begin before adults complicate them. Could it be because later we become careful and proud? We separate ourselves by language, accent, by who sounds educated and who sounds local, economic circumstances, social class, colour.

Children do not seem troubled by any of that, they simply continue, one in English, one in Lusoga. with neither surrendering their language, and neither demanding the other abandon theirs, yet their games moved forward beautifully.

It felt, in a small way, like watching what coexistence actually looks like before we grow up and complicate things. I guess understanding has never depended entirely on speaking the same language but it depends on wanting to remain in the game.

From where my feet are, I wish to have that same child-like spirit.