Look Back to Move Froward

Looking back, I can’t help but wonder where I lost it…I have always been popular, I might say, not for being a conformist but as they say when referring to weird people…different! I’ve never thought consciously about it because it never was a constant issue.

In life, phases come n go, inclinations to be someone else other than yourself is always inevitable whether sober or under the influence of external forces whether dark or otherwise. If a thought is consistent, then the urge to either do something about it or give in and subject you to untold emotional suffering is that much more imminent.

I never had the courage to do certain things but things seemed to turn around with time…hidden behind a mask of masculinity and supremacy that kept me in a state of content with myself and a reasonable amount of respect from peers. Fitting in was never really the issue despite all pressures or el e ad probably be dead by now, following in the footsteps of fellow peers whose crime was to fail to appreciate the intricacies of life and what different situations it presents all of mankind at different times in our lives.

There’s always a way all you need is to have the right perspective of things. You don’t need to understand everything…no one does…and time will take care of the rest. The fear of the unknown drives us to do many things both constructive and otherwise, but the unknown sums up what humanity is all about.

Keep the faith.

Life

Life! Some consider it a precious gift, others an entitlement among other things. It has so many facets that need to be observed for anyone to fully enjoy their life as an individual and also enjoy the lives of others.

There are many individuals in the world, many are the times when we are bombarded by debate after debate about the sanctity of life, when life begins or when life should end. Everyone seems to have an opinion on all these things and at the same time, have supporters, and even in some cases fanatical ones at that.

These arguments are based on rights and not responsibilities. Before the 1980s rights were more or less non-existent in the African context especially. People were forcefully evicted from their homes, beaten and maimed, deprived of their freedom and even forced into situations that only benefited a handful of people. It is during these times that people were more relentless in their resolve to achieve, focused in uniting together for the greater good of not just themselves, but generations to come. The arguments for this kind of approach to life were clear and indisputable as captured in the words of our national anthem-“Ee, ndio wajibu wetu”

With the advent of more highlights on rights, the focus on responsibilities seems to have taken a back seat. There are more unethical practices leading to squandering of public resources, more court cases, more relationships breaking apart, the family unit is continuously being eroded and the rich keep getting richer while the poor continue to wallow in poverty simply because u n I have decided that we are not responsible for anyone other than ourselves.

Let’s think for a moment, consider a scenario where your parent decided at your tender age, that they were not responsible for you. What would have happened to you? Would you be where you are today? Would you have what u have today?

Take another example. Right now in your life, whether u accept it or not u play a number of roles; you are a friend, a son or daughter, a cousin, niece or nephew, a husband or wife, a parent, an employee or an employer including the various other groups you may be part of. Recall the number of times when you have decided not to do something you had agreed on with someone else and not communicate this to them. What was their reaction? Did they hug you and say well done for keeping them in the dark? Did they give you more activities to carry out on their behalf? Just how frustrated were they?

You have a responsibility no matter how small or insignificant you may perceive it, no mater whether others appreciate it or not, and in most cases whether no matter whether you like it or not.

In order to enjoy this precious gift that is LIFE, life demands that we be responsible to ourselves and to others!