OPEN LETTER

Dear youths,

How to start my case is not quite clear to me just yet but still due to the great mutual anguish that I felt reeling in the air during a conversation that my friends and I were having, I feel obliged to speak. As usual it always has to do with the sad state of affairs in our great nation, Kenya. Critics may argue that all some people do, “like me”, is paint a negative image of our lovely nation. That is definitely not my intention and never has it been. Truth is, there is so much that has been going on ever since the so called digital government came into power and most of it is with no doubt negative staff. It would not be surprising if today we woke up to the news that some more billions have been lost or stolen someplace else within the government because it has become the norm around. Everybody now wants a piece of this loot, so much so that it would almost be impossible for me and my fellow youths to resist this very meat had we come into contact with it. Thus many questions arise but what puzzles me the most is, “What kind of lessons are these that the political class is trying to teach us and do their kids also learn from the same syllabus?” I wonder.   Surprisingly nothing ever happens which is ok for us because we never seem to speak against it. Today though, I write with two disturbing facts in mind. How is it possible that this very people who were tasked with safeguarding the tax payer’s money and channeling it towards key projects that would go a long way in the growth and development of our economy and in the long run improved living standards for we, the people, are using this very billions to buy our votes?? No names mentioned but really? Is that the kind of country they want to leave behind for their children and grand children. Do they ever stop to look back and think about what they are doing? Sometimes I tend to want to understand that we are all humane and we all love money but how do you do it like the world is coming to an end tomorrow? I would really love to sit down with this breed of people and get to know how they live with all that in their conscience, but until I get the chance to, one thing is for sure. This is not the kind of country that I would love my kids and grandchildren growing up in. Why not join hands and speak against it if you share that thought with me.

For a long time we’ve been lamenting against governments with wazees but look at what happened when people chose to go the digital way. How do we as the young generation expect to be trusted with this leadership positions if all we can do is take care of our greed first? Well, if you think about it, perhaps we will have a word or two to use in our defense, top on the list being the fact that this guys are not that young and in reality do not qualify to be classified as youths but because at the time they were the only promising option of young candidates we had, it just had to go that way. Perhaps this time we will be a little bit wiser to give a chance to the many real youngsters out there who are driven by something larger than themselves and are ready to serve too. Hio mchezo tumekataa!!

THE HEALTH SCAM

I’m a proud humble African who wishes no trouble with anyone and thus at most times may choose to shut my ears and close my eyes. Only then is it possible to foolishly assume that all is well but at times situations get out of hand, so much so that even with all your senses impaired, you still notice all the ills going on around. I do not write this with any hidden agendas nor do I have affiliations with anyone from the political class. The current state of affairs is quite saddening and so here I am thinking out loud. One would have been mistaken to think that after the NYS scandal, our country which we love so much would be spared from all the  shameful sagas that are fast tainting our image. Here we are again talking about another scam that has stole the nation’s attention. The HEALTH scam it is. While the country has recorded significant gains in infant mortality, malaria deaths, under-five mortality and life expectancy over the past few years, we have not made significant progress in maternal health. This is what makes this latest theft as heartless as any can be because it touches on an area that is key to our well being as a nation. As is the norm, investigations will be carried out but no concrete results and necessary action taken thereafter will ever be tabled before  the public.  As a concerned youth, doesn’t this get you thinking? Who is or are this behind all this and what are their real intentions for our great country, Kenya and we the people as well? How do we as the youths believe in hardwork and sweat when all we see around are poor educated and hardworking individuals who sweat for the food that they put on their tables while the rich criminals seem to be having it easy? To some point, I would love to blame we the citizens for putting this very people we complain about in those positions of power but then don’t they have a conscience that comes back to haunt them whenever they do all what they do. The gap between the rich and the poor increases on a daily basis but still they continue robbing and building higher walls around their houses while the poor in that next door slum watch with their mouths shut.
When will all this madness end, and if not completely could it a tleast reduce? This is not the kind of society that we as the youths want, not only for ourselves but for generations to come. How do we grow from a developing country  to one that is already developed with a leadership that spends close to all of their terms in government looting public resources that are meant for development?? Soon this will be a forgotten topic just like we have forgotten all the others. So what is going to be next I wonder?
This is a serious issue that should be dealt with as such. Don’t you think that enough is enough? It is no secret who the relevant authorities are and it is high time that they face the people and tell them what they know, when they knew it and what they did when they knew it. I question their silence with all due respect on this and the many other thefts in the country. Could it be because they have special interests and shares? We have reason to believe so.
As I conclude, bear this in mind: CHANGE does not happen. You and I must all appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring CHANGE about. Start by making a sober decision come next year and vote in able leaders based on what they have done over the past years and not on empty promises. I rest my case!

AN AWESOME DAY BEGINS WITH AN AWESOME MORNING

Hi there guys, hope we all had an interesting thursday🤓. Ever wondered why this moment is called the “PRESENT”?? Today is another new day, a God given gift to us all and in equal measure. A chance to start over again from where we left yesterday. Sadly though, not all of us make the most out of it like we are supposed to. Ever wondered why Bill Gates, Mark Zukerberg, the late Steve Jobs and many others just like them seem to be so successful? Success as we all know has got diverse interpretations depending on an individual. My definition of success does not and cannot be the same as yours because we all have different perspectives of life. We are all on our own unique journeys with the hope and desire to get to our destinations. For some, success may be having all the money that runs the world in their bank accounts while for others, it is only achieved when they are able to put a smile on a strangers face by being that savior that they pray for on a daily basis to help in solving a problem that had almost made them loose all hope with life and humanity. It all depends on a number of factors but that is a story for another day. So bearing in mind that we all have 24 hours a day, why is it that only a selected few seem to be running the world? This question got me thinking and because I dream of not only becoming as successful as they are but also as  inspirational as they are to a young person out there just like me some day, I embarked on a mission to find out what exactly it is they do differently. They say that curiosity killed the cat but for me, It always finds a way of boosting my desire to live an even longer and fulfilled life. This is because it somehow always leads me to new, interesting and useful information that can help one lead an even better life if keenly adhered to. So there I was doing my research on the daily routines and habits of those role models we all look up to, and the results were surprising. I was under the impression that having the right attitude, putting in that extra effort, perhaps even working longer hours and pushing through with the necessary sacrifices is all that one needed but that wasn't the case. We all had a chance to choose whatever course it is that we are pursuing here at the campus. No one forced you in to it and because of the love, interest and passion that you have for your course, our minds are all definitely set. We are ready to invest whatever it will take to see ourselves all the way up to graduation day. You go a step further to look for that extra time where you do your private studies and even attend group discussions. At this stage, you are ready to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to get yourself to a place called success. You would, for example, forego airtime for your phone so that the money saved could be diverted towards photocopying of handouts or buying of a Pen. Some of us resist the temptations of partying on a weekend to study for an exam. Sacrifices that any sane person would make. Don't get me wrong, doing all this is not easy and will definitely get you some place. We all do this and we will all get some place but what sets the Bill Gates of this world apart from the rest? It turned out to be easier than I thought. The very successful have a unique habit of setting aside 10-20 minutes aside in the morning and evening on a daily basis. So what exactly do they do with this time? For Mornings they prioritize and lay out a plan for their day.  It may not turn out exactly as planned but at least you have guidelines and principles to live by, set goals to achieve and will know when things are getting out of control. Evenings are used to reflect back on how the day was. One is able to tell what worked and what did not. You discover things that have been pulling you back and that need to be thought of in a different way. They use their last minutes before retiring to bed to learn from their failures and successes through out the day and meditate on how to do things more intelligently and make tomorrow an even better day.

Most of us live like zombies. We wake up early, carry out our habits and normal routines and then go back to bed only to wake up and do it all over again. Why don’t you try doing things alittle bit differently this morning? Set aside 5 minutes to start with and just think about how you would like your day to be and prioritize on all of the day’s activities. It may not make sense at first but do the same in the evening and make it a habit to plan your day before you even get out of bed. Not planning is planning to fail. Do have yourself an awesome Friday.

 

TALKING SHENG

Young people in Nairobi use Sheng, an urban, youth sociolect that mixes English, Kiswahili, and ethnic languages and shares many features with slang, to forge a new, hybrid identity. Sheng signifies the negotiations and struggles of youth's identity project. The institutions of family, church, school, and popular media present Kenyan youth with different possible identities. The voice of the family comes to them in ethnic languages that embody tradition and heritage. The voice of education asks them to place Kiswahili at the center of a multicultural ideology, but does so in English. The church calls to them in Kiswahili and English. The voice of the media comes to them in videos, movies, music, radio, and television and is heard mostly in English. Each of these languages represents a particular ideology of living in the world and young people respond through language. Sheng gives young people the wherewithal to question and challenge the ideologies and identities that attempt to define them. Sheng also signifies the construction of a linguistic third space between the global, represented by a transnational African diasporic culture, and the local, represented by tradition. ^ This dissertation also focuses on two groups of culture brokers that are helping to shape Sheng and, as a consequence, shape identity—rap musicians and Manambas. Manambas are young men who work on Kenya's privately owned public service vehicles popularly known as Matatus. Many of Kenya's rappers feel a sense of responsibility toward the youth; and as the voices of their generation they feel an obligation to promote the importance of African heritage in young people's definition of self. Manambas are the master innovators of Sheng, however, they do not share rappers' sense of responsibility nor do they have a coherent social agenda for young people. While rappers negotiate between tradition and modernity, Manambas stand in between the global and the local. Through their consumption of commodities, including fashion and music, transnational culture is given currency and symbolic power in the expression of identity. ^ The discourse on hybridity and globalization constitute the theoretical ground on which the empirical data is explored and analyzed.

HIDDEN IN EVERY PROBLEM IS AN OPPORTUNITY!

Life is an endless circular flow of ups and downs, good times and sad times, happy moments and moments when you would thank the ground for opening up and swallowing you alive. I choose not to focus on the happy moments of life when one is at peace with everything because most of us if not all have been there, at the top where you feel like you own the whole wide world. Here nothing and no one can stop you from pursuing whatever it is that you want too and miraculously it almost always ends up brightening not only your world a little bit more but also those around you.

The sad moments, that time when you feel so low, that season of your life in which nothing makes sense because of some negative experiences that we may have gone through is what brings most people crumbling down on their feet. Such situations and times in some people, marks the beginning of their downfall. Not because they willingly want to take that forbidden path of failure in life but because of the way, as humans, we are naturally programmed to always take the easy way out. We tend to unwillingly react negatively in such situations. If you are a student and seem not to be getting good grades, what do you do???Do you quit or do you give it your all. If you are fired from your job, do you stress over it, so much so that you end up messing with your health? Did you know that High levels of stress and negative pressure on yourself could lead to fatal ailments such as High Blood Pressure? Believe it or not, that is the truth. So instead of sending yourself to an early grave, why not view that as an opportunity to venture into self employment and decide to grab it with both hands and make the most out of it? It is easier and more fulfilling to create your own plan and eventually becoming your own boss. Sounds better than sitting on the sidelines to watch as others strive to make the days in their life count. What makes it even more worse is the self pity and tears that you shade which is amplified by the thought of you being the biggest looser around who was unable to go through life with your head held high like all the others who seem to be passing you by. All that negative thought coupled up with the High Blood Pressure is a sure recipe for disaster. I hate to say this but let’s call a spade a spade, all that accumulated over a period of time, not so long, is an early, avoidable, direct ticket to the grave. Think about this; no one ever promised us that the journey through life would be easy but at the end of it all, if lived well, will be worth all the struggles, the occasional confusion and oooooh don’t forget the sometimes persistent pain too. Did you know that overcoming all of that is what actually spices up life, making it interesting? You might be wondering why everybody but you, in your surroundings, always seems to be happy and can afford huge lovely smiles that brighten up everything they come across? We are all human and sometimes such weird feelings can overwhelm us. It is normal to feel this way but here is what this ‘’happy” people around you know that you may not. Being happy doesn’t mean that everything has to be perfect all the time. They know that life is in seasons and that different times and situations may play out differently in ways they did not expect. Each season comes and goes and they somehow manage to live through them all no matter how tough others may turn out to be. They understand that we may not always have control over everything. Understanding all that, they choose to look beyond their imperfections and the unending storms of life to focus their minds on a much greater goal. They understand that the smile they wear is what brightens up their life even when in the dark times. Their bright lights (smiles) at most times is what ends up guiding them out of the darkness. Why? Because it illuminates their paths, they can see ahead past the darkness and focus on achieving their greater goals. Perhaps that is the difference between the extra ordinary individuals and you. They simply see trouble as a gold mine.

What do you see when you look at the crisis you may be going through? Do you see doom and gloom or a booming chance, a springboard into superior realities of existence? Do you notice shame and embarrassment in your trouble or are you more aware of the difference, the variety and the strengths that challenges can birth? While in crisis, it is a bigger tragedy to have sight but no vision. Sight is good, but vision is greater. How you respond to your seasons of chaos has a lot to do with your ability to see beyond the smoke screen of trouble. Trouble reveals new things while pressure reveals the true nature of our character. Great people are known during crisis. Do not lose your focus just because the wind is blowing hard and the rain is beating your back with no signs of it coming to a stop anytime soon. Fix your eyes on the price. At the end of it all you either emerge a VICTIM or a VICTOR. It just depends on your ATTITUDE towards the problem and how you CHOOSE to RESPOND. HIDDEN IN EVERY PROBLEM IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Enjoy the week!!

THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL REASONS TO BE HAPPY

I’m addicted to sayings and quotes. They are inspiring, motivating and they have the power to provoke new thought. They have the power to break down old beliefs and inject wisdom into your life.
I’ve always gained inspiration from quotes and sayings, which is why I’ve decided to gather some of my favorite ones into a blog post that will one day appear on this very blog, just not today. Each comes with an elaboration from me.
The meanings will probably not be the same for you as they are for me, so use whatever I say however you like. I can only share my own experience. After that it is up to you.
Today though, I choose to focus on one that has got me thinking for quite some time now. You might already be wondering what that is and because I do not intend on killing you with so much curiosity, here is my story.
Have you ever been deeply engrossed in hot pursuit of success, money, power, fame and all it’s accompaniments so much so that you forget to live life itself. You wake up in the morning and the first thing on your mind is how the day is going to turn out. Is it going to be an awesome day or is it going to be a disastrous day???You wonder. You time is already planned out in a manner that you do not even have some free time to go say Hi to a friend or two not even those around you at your workplace or at school because your mind is filled with nothing but ideas on how to make money, grow and develop yourself and all this other kind of staff. Well that is me and how I have been living for quite some time now. It is good, I must say and people always look up to people like you. To many you look like a leader, always ahead of others and showing them the way but to yourself at times it may be quite difficult. Difficult???  You must be wondering why .It is never easy to always strive to be the best at all times, well not the best but a good example to others who might be silently watching. At most times, you are almost always on your own because you tend to be a little bit serious, so much so that you cannot even afford a smile on your face. There is always a reason to smile but for you there always seems to be none. All this you do in pursuit of success at the expense of your very own happiness. Some may get to this place called success which is sweet I must confess, but because you got up there alone having avoided all other people along the way, then it somehow becomes not fun because you are so much ALONE. Others get so much depressed along the way due to the heavy heavy pressures of life that they develop along the way. This group of people is always the majority and sadly they end up all alone in misery. Why misery with all the money, fame and power they might have at the top??Well this is very simple and does not require any explanations. At the top you do not want to be associated with any scandals that may dent your image and because of the shame you end up keeping it all to yourself. To cover up all the suffering, the depression, the confusion, the loneliness, the brokenness they turn to drugs which offer them some temporary refuge but at the end of it all they end up deep in misery that only God can bring them out of. Sometimes I ask myself what all the hustles and struggles was all about if only to come crushing you at the end of it all into pieces that are almost irepairable. Isn’t it worth much more to strike a balance between all aspects of life so as to grow into a wholesome individual rather than growing into one of the wealthiest people around but still top the list of most miserable and depressed persons? Personally I prefer living a very simple life that is happy and comfortable. It may not be possible to be happy at all times because life is an endless struggle and overcoming the struggles and challenges is what makes it worth living but you can purpose to focus on the things that not only make you a successful person but also the moments that make life worth living. I once had a friend who worked at a hospice, and he said people in their final moments don't discuss their successes, awards or what books they wrote or what they accomplished. They only talk about their loves and their regrets, Don’t you think that's very telling???? A very insightful story he shared with me that left me wondering why most of us never spare some time out of our busy schedules to pursue the things we love doing, to share happy moments with those of significance in our lives, to exercise, to go for adventures that live us with awesome stories to tell and generally to enjoy some little bit of life. It may not be possible to do all these but we can find something that suits our tastes and preferences and make the most out of it. How about you give it a try and see how that goes? Try doing what you love doing, give it your all and see how success will come chasing after you. Here’s what most people do not actually know, I also learnt it from a good old wise friend of mine, SUCCESS IS NOT THE KEY TO HAPPINESS BUT RATHER HAPPINESS IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS. What do you think about that???Personally I think it is true and that you should try it out too. As we usher in this weekend, how about I live you thinking about this: We are all in pursuit of happiness but the kind of life we tend to live at times pushes us even further away from the happy moments that we long so much for. Sometimes we don’t need a lot of the stuff that we have but we end up acquiring them just to make others happy. Perhaps, just for the weekend, you could try living a simple life and see how much stress and worry you will have locked out of your life. Enjoy!!!!

"ME TIME"

Do you at times feel like you just want to be alone far away from everyone and everything? To some this may sound odd, but yes, there are such times in life when we not only want to enjoy but also value that “Me Time” which is hard to come by in this crazy and fast world that we live in today. We are almost always caught up on a daily basis with life’s endless hustles and bustles and so when you have a whole weekend to yourself, you just feel like doing you. Your friends may think of you as mean but truth be told, Sometimes we need to go off on our own. We are not sad, we are not angry, WE ARE JUST RECHARGING OUR BATTERIES. Here are some things I thought you could do alone as you find your very own voice from within and listen to it carefully:

1. Go to a Free Gig

Coffee shops, libraries and local venues often host free gigs. So see if there is anything going on in your area this weekend. Concerts can actually be much more rewarding when you go alone, you can really listen to the music, rather than worrying about where your friends are. Haha….

2. Go on a Long Walk or a Hike

Going for a long walk and experiencing nature is often more enjoyable if you are alone, as it is peaceful, quiet, and relaxing. You can stop to appreciate every beautiful flower you pass, you can take a break whenever you want, and best of all, you can hear all of the quiet, busy sounds of nature. #AWESOME!!

3. Take a Shopping Trip Alone

Put off any shopping stress by taking the trip alone. Other people can slow you down or pressure you to hurry up, and you may end up missing out on the best clothes or deals. Take a leisure trip alone and take your time trying everything on. You are likely to have a great day and find something you love.

4. Finish That Project

If you have a few hours free and you’re feeling proactive, head to a coffee shop or your office and finish off anything you’ve been putting off. From updating your CV to finishing a work project. You will feel accomplished and proud as soon as you have finished.

5. Watch a TV Show You Love

The best part about watching television alone is that you can watch whatever you want no matter how shameful and embarrassing it is. Put on your comfiest clothes, get some snacks and put your feet up for hours of guilt-free viewing. Enjoy!

6. Exercise

Exercise can be a little awkward especially when you first start. You haven’t fully learnt all the moves to Zumba yet and you don’t know what most of the machines in your gym are actually supposed to be used for. But worry not, there is always a first time. Exercising alone means you get to move at your own pace and do exercises that interest you personally.

7. Test Yourself

Challenge yourself to keep your mind alert, pick up a Sudoku or fill in a quiz online. It is nice to achieve things when you are alone, and you get free bragging rights once you’ve finished.

8. Try New Recipes

Cook a new dish you’ve been salivating over. You don’t have guests to let down if it goes wrong and if it goes right, you can eat it all yourself. This is a fun way to hang out by yourself, and who knows?? You may become a cooking pro in the process!

9. Travel

Travelling alone means there are no compromises, you can go wherever you want, see whatever you want, and eat wherever you want. Even if you just travel to the nearest city for the day, enjoy the luxury of going at your own pace.

10. Visit a Bookstore

If you live near a library or bookstore with seating, take a trip there for a fun day alone. You can pick up a book, snuggle up, and travel to a different world in your mind. This is the perfect weekend plan if you are a little low on money, but you still want to have some quality alone time.

11. Take a Long, Hot Bath

If you have the time, set aside an hour for a long, hot bath.  Put on a relaxing album and soak your troubles away.

12. Explore Your Local Museum

You may not have liked your school trips to the local museum, perhaps the annoying tour guides ruined your day, but you may have a totally different opinion after you have visited alone. Museums are filled with interesting and fascinating objects. And you can take your time to appreciate the things you really enjoy without a tour guide telling you to move on.

13. Listen to Music

Listening to music when you’re alone is a real mood booster. You can put on your favorite album and sing along as loudly as you want .If you feel like it, you can even do some dancing too!

14. Relive Your Childhood

A great way to spend a day alone is to relive your childhood. Buy some of the food you loved as a child and put on your favorite children’s film for a day of cosy reminiscing.

-Sometimes you just have to take a day to shut the world out so you can open up to yourself and deal with your thoughts.To disconnect and enjoy your own company. You don’t have to feel guilty, apologize or try to justify needing space. You are just doing what you need to do to take care of yourself and that is it. No explanation needed. Enjoy the weekend!!!

THE DUFF

Why is Monday so far from Friday, and Friday so near to Monday?? A question most if not all youths ask themselves quite often. Well guess what, I too, think about it once in a while and always end up getting lost deep in thought with no straight forward answer at the end of it all. So how about not even thinking about entertaining such thoughts and enjoying God’s natural order of creation???? This I think would lead to a happy, stress free and purposeful life. “Try getting rid of the not so positive thoughts and let me know what you think in a couple of days,” a wise old friend of mine once said. So here I am on a Sunday evening enjoying the final hours of the long weekend that has been, doing what I love doing, #Writing this piece down, before resting in anticipation of the new week. It has been quite a while since I last sat down this late and worked on something. Sometimes WE want to write all day and night, everyday but life as you already know comes with many other events all wrapped up into one and that should be played out by you thus making it practically impossible for one to do nothing else but write. Today though, seems a little bit different and at the same time interesting, here’s why. As usual most youths in this day and age if not going to school for classes or working some place to earn some extra cash would be caught engaging in diverse “pass time” activities or as many would like to refer to them, co-curricular activities, that are unique to each and every one of us with the sole aim of “kicking out boredom” and for some, perhaps even adding some value to themselves while at it. For me, a good novel from the school’s library has always made my weekends of course with some writing taking up some of the hours too. Who knows? Maybe someday one of my very own novel will be your favourite bedside book. Unfortunately on this weekend I had no novel to be deeply engrossed in, so much so that you do not even notice as time passes, and thought, maybe a movie or two could do. You definitely would not have found me with any movies then, thus earning myself a visit to my next door neighbor who has been a movie enthusiast for the longest time now. From him I expected to be brought up to date on what the latest movie in town was, what was trending at the time, all what I needed to urgently know so as not to feel left out of the YOLO generation just in case I found myself in unfamiliar grounds where people knew nothing but movies. Lastly, what movie would be of interest to me judging from the tastes and preferences that I kindly shared with him. It took me time but at least I walked home with a few movies in hand ready to enjoy the chilly evening. Armed with my movies, some snacks and a hot mug of coffee, I settled for my first movie which turned out to be the only movie I watched the entire weekend. No, it certainly did not bore me to death. In fact I did not expect to be as excited as I was this night just from watching a single movie. Many of you might have watched this movie over and over but still did not get into it like I did. Well, for me, it turned out to be more than just entertainment. From It I added one more lesson to my collection of “Borrowed Words Of Wisdom”. From the same movie I drew inspiration for this piece that I hope will add value to you at the end of it all. I could possibly not go on with the other movies until this piece was complete. Believe it or not, I immediately embarked on writing after the movie was over, for fear of waking up early in the morning to a blank mind full of nothing but sleep. I will not keep you in suspense any longer trying to guess what movie that could have been so here it is, THE DUFF. Heard of it?? I think you have but just did not get more out of it like I did or maybe you did and kept it all to yourself. It was all about we, the youths , living in this dangerous times and some of the major challenges we face in life most especially throughout all the time that we spend in school all the way from primary school up to the university level. Sure, we do go through a lot but here they choose to focus on one vital area of our lives that affects each and everything that we do and how it is done. #SELF-ESTEEM it is and I must admit how they packaged it all in an entertaining way but still managed to drive their message home, was 100% awesome and very well thought of. Perhaps that aspect of the movie is what made it sound appealing to me since as you all know, in partnership with like-minded individuals I have been interested in being of help to those in society who really need and deserve it. My friends and I have made it our aim to empower, transform and make a difference in the lives of a generation that seems to be somewhat naturally confused, me included. Our target has definitely not been the whole wide world but that one single youth suffering in silence in our localities. This pain may never physically show because we all almost always endeavour to potray the image of this strong macho individuals, to the world,  who are never shaken come what may but if you take a closer look at the inside, you may notice many broken pieces struggling to carry on. This is the bitter reality with most of our youths and truth be told, It is not always our fault that deep within, we feel lost, hurt, confused, misunderstood, insignificant and even dying but because we have so much going on in our lives at a rate that only God can explain. At times dozens of questions race up and down our small minds like fire eating up dry grass all day everyday not giving us peace of mind. Sometimes we have so much in mind that we end up debating with ourselves all night at the expense of our precious sleep time  and other times we are just so much full of curiosity that makes us want to explore the world and learn new interesting things out there. Generally, growing up in this times (the 21^st century) with the world as it is, is definitely one of the toughest battles our youths have to face.

That is exactly what the girl I would like to think of as the main character in the movie was going through, especially after one of her friends just called her “The Duff”. The name sounds interesting but the meaning is disgusting or so I think. This simple four letter word made the pretty, reserved and very intelligent girl (I wish it were possible to switch brains and get all my math assignments done right and on time) go out of her way to do crazy things just to please her peers. Her self-esteem was damaged, so much so that she thought her not so intelligent but beautiful friends were only using her to make themselves look even prettier. She went as far as ending their long time unconditional and trustworthy friendship with her two best friends, cut all ties and bonds with them and pretended to have moved on. But guess what this did to her???She started befriending the wrong people, doing the wrong things with caution thrown out of the window and engaging in self destructing activities all with an aim to be that perfect her that she thought she was not. She was the kind of friends we would all want to be associated with but because all the other students seemed to be doing cool staff than she was, it weighed heavily on her self-believe which in turn caused her confidence and esteem to deteriorate to fatal levels. She badly wanted to be more appealing and interesting to her peers. This left her trying all the tricks she had saved in her bags. For some time they seemed to work but as they say, an original is worth much more than a copy. It went on just fine but you certainly cannot fake “YOU” for the rest of your life. It was hard to keep up with the lies she had to tell herself each day just to appear as something she really was not but thought to be the perfect definition of cool. It took a toll on her life. Sadly she had no one to talk to which made it even worse and depressing. Sometimes it is not that we fail to share whatever is going on in our lives. We always at some point want our very many questions answered, our doubts cleared, we need someone to teach us how to deal with our insecurities, we need to be understood and guided in the right direction and above all, we need to be LOVED. For some all this tends to lack from the very people who should be the pillars of strength in our lives. This could be the family or close friends that we treasure. It is impossible to change the families that we come from but why stick around a friend in whom you cannot confide and open up to about all that could be pressuring us. We all have times when we feel like the world is crumbling at our feet and are in need of someone who will offer you a shoulder to cry on, an ear wide open to listen and hands strong enough to pull you up from your fall and walk with you as you save yourself. Within family love begins and never ends but I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t feel safe with family when in such times. A good trustworthy friend would be your much needed help but at times even them fail to be of help and instead lead us into even deeper and more painful falls with severe consequences. At this point you may feel all alone. Desperately alone, rejected and staring at a world, with eyes full of grieve, that seems to have turned 100% against you. At this point, I guess, if by any chance you would come across a misplaced gun, you probably would not hesitate to pull the trigger with the gun pointed directly at your brain. Until you get to such a point you may never be able to identify with such a youth but I assure you, it is the worst feeling you could possibly ever have to go through. You think it isn’t???Then, for just a day, look at the most worthless creature on earth and pretend to be it. Haven’t you noticed yet how no one wants to be associated with you?? Do this for another day and see how things play out. Trust me, I know how it feels and that is why part of my time here on earth is spent with my very able friends  trying to reach out to our fellow youths out there and sharing our experiences hoping that it will be of  help to them in turning their lives around and living a life, the kind that God intended for us all. A life of purpose.  For me , my big brother and small sister play a big role that can’t be exhaustively explained in a sentence. Whenever I am around them, you mysteriously feel energized and feel like the whole world belongs to you. They are the best. I also have this one friend whom you would find a little bit interesting but I believe that it was part of our destiny to not only meet, nurture a good friendship but also to work together. You may not be that privileged but that is no excuse for you to pin yourself down by the roadside and watch as others pass you by. As a young youth, It may be stressful to explain what’s going on in your head when you do not even understand it yourself. Why not look for other youths with a positive mindset who have been there before and somehow managed to find a way out of such terrorizing situations? I did it myself, others have done exactly that and lucky for us the friends that we turned to were not just curious to know what was happening but were also interested in getting an in depth understanding of our dilemmas.
 This kind of friends are rare to come across but they do exist. If someone saw you through that dark period of your life where everything did not seem to make sense, and is still around whenever you need to consult on a few issues, consider yourself the luckiest being on earth. And why not give back to society by doing exactly that to someone, somewhere looking for you but just doesn’t know how to ask? Sometimes all they need is a friend to stand by themselves and watch as they save themselves. The girl in the movie after sometime came back to her senses. Looking back she really laughed at everything she had done but decided to let the past remain where it belongs and moved on. She apologized to her only true friends who accepted her back just the way she was. Isn’t it an amazing feeling when you wake up in the morning feeling like you have all you need to go out there and conquer the world? It certainly is and only an original you can. All what the girl was doing was in hot pursuit of nothing but a HAPPY life. We all want happy lives but sadly it always seems to escape some of us. She wasted her precious time, energy and life trying to make herself acceptable, fit in, cool and interesting but this only left her feeling more and more miserable instead. Guess what she learned from all her experiences? I just gave it some thought too and it seems to be making a lot of sense. Being HAPPY doesn’t mean everything is perfect. It means that you have decided to look beyond the imperfections. It was no secret that she was a very intelligent girl, she had good manners, she showed others respect and would always help those who really needed it. She had definitely been raised properly but to her, it all seemed like she was old school. Anyone would do anything to be in her shoes but for some time she did not feel cool with it  and did all that she could just to appear and feel part of everybody else. This went on for a while but she definitely could not live a lie for the rest of her life. We all naturally come back to our senses at one point but different people take different durations to discover certain things. Some take longer, others shorter but we all eventually do and when we do, we bounce back more rejuvenated than ever. I love the way she bounced back, embraced the real her and faced life as it was determined to make the most of who she was and what she could do. Deep in the desert where she was lost is where she found true herself. Her school, home and social aspects of life all grew to heights she could not have imagined. That was the beauty of finally accepting that she was different. We all are and that is what makes life as interesting as it is. Having read all this what stood out for you?Feel free to comment below. Share your experiences with us, how you dealt with them and what lessons you learnt thereafter. You may as well be the answer to someones trouble out there. For me this was the climax: So many people think you are awesome, special and worth wile. Why would you listen to the one person who thinks you are not?????  ONLY YOU CAN DEFINE YOURSELF!!!!

YOU NEED THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO PROSPER!!

Each and every time I think about our pretty little sister, my heart skips a mighty beat. She is fairly still a young girl whose still growing and developing, learning new things each day, having different experiences on a daily basis and above all still trying to figure herself out. This is quite the normal, I guess we all passed through primary, high school , campus and are probably now living our dreams out there. Throughout all this stages, life has definitely not been the same. Each phase has been quite unique, with its equal measure of ups and downs that make life interesting and at the end of it all teach us valuable lessons that no syllabus or course work would ever cover. From all this stages of life you develop diverse perspectives on life that at times seem confusing. Thoughts race up and down your little brain like fire eating up dry grass on a daily basis to a point that almost blows up your fragile mind. Unanswered questions keep you awake all night yet not even the slightest clue to the answers of your tormenting questions come to mind. In such times you feel so confused and start to question why you even exist, you doubt your existence here on earth and think that maybe it were better if you did not even exist in the first place. This is when we look for people to confide in, we start looking for people to help us collect the broken pieces, put them together and see you off at the airport as your new aircraft of life takes of. Sadly though, some of us choose to remain silent and fight the unending battles on our own till the very end. I think I used to do just that, a path that sometimes does not lead you to desirable destinations but did you ever stop and think for a minute just how stressful it is to explain what’s going on in your head when you don’t even understand it yourself. This is how intriguing life can be at times.  It gets even more amazing when you can no longer keep quiet and begin talking to the people around you. It doesn’t matter how wrong or distorted their advice may be, but simply because they have been your desk mates, classmates, course mates, closest friends or coolest kid in your class for the longest time know, you choose to throw caution and reason out of the window and get yourself right into the middle of a catastrophe with your eyes wide open. Then your broken pieces break into even smaller pieces and live you completely shattered and almost irreversible, the end result is that you end up giving up on life and engaging yourself in self destructive activities not because you want to but because you no longer have nothing to live for. The current times that we live in and the generations that exist have made life for our youths even more complex. Millenials as we are commonly referred to us are creatures you would love to hate. Their definition of fun is what an older generation would find totally un acceptable, a taboo but still they get away with it behind our backs. Their definition of hard work is what my dad would define as being the laziest being on earth. Our not so healthy diets pared up with some unhealthy leisure activities that we often indulge in make a great recipe for a generation with a short life span but guess what they shout into your ears when you try sinking some sense into their heads?? I do agree with them that indeed we do live only once but then again, if we live right , once is enough!!

All this and much more that I possibly cannot exhaust on a single blog post make me wish that our pretty little sister would stay in school a little bit longer. Atleast there, we have good and trustworthy teachers who make it part of their job description to make sure that this little girls grow into upright ladies that can be relied upon by the country and world at large to bring change and impact the people positively. Unfortunately though, what happens once some of this girls clear school and go to far away universities in search of an Education is completely different, so much so that their former teachers would hate to be associated with them once more. For some, the principled, disciplined and strong in character, they go on to be great and enviable personalities out there. This percentage is however, never that huge as most if not all fall victims of this cruel world. At the end it’s never that serious because as they say this are some of life’s inevitable stages from which major lessons are learnt. Determined and purpose driven individuals always find there way out of such messes and eventually convert them into great messages that end up inspiring others out there. This journey is worth all the seconds that have been invested in it but then again why not avoid it all and possibly follow a path with minimal detours along the way???Why not save all the time and energy that you would use up doing nothing with your life just to come up with a life lesson???Would it not make more sense if that time and energy was invested in growing our country and the world at large???I think it makes more sense that way and in the process you end up being a blessing in people’s life. Who knows, maybe you could be destined to be the next president of this great country of ours , Kenya, but because of your wrong, immature decisions, you take longer than it was intended, for you to get there. People will have to suffer and wait a little bit longer because their destined savior has to first break free from chains that they locked up themselves.

DEEP IN THOUGHT, HOPE THIS EMPOWERS YOU...

 Reality at times tends to be rude and puts us in unfavorable situations that we must face or run away from like the weak choose to do. The strong confront it as it is and make the most out of each and every moment as it comes. In a few months they will be out here ready to face the world. I am not sure how well prepared they will be for this new stage of life but atleast there is something that can be done to keep yourself on the right track. There will always be some stumbling blocks along the way that may threaten to cut short your journey but having the right group of friends to hold your hand and stand by your side as you save yourself could as well be the answer. A friend you can trust, a friend who lets you be you and who is always real. A friend who would rather tell you the truth no matter how it would hurt at the moment simply because they do care.  It doesn’t have to be a million of them who are only there when its time to laugh and live you all alone when its time to cry .  One  good friend who trusts and believes in you and your abilities, a friend who believes in your dream and supports you just the way you do the same,  is more than enough. Quality over quantity. Find a friend who wants to help you win and grow and forever treasure them !!!!

LESS ABOUT "POLITRICKS" AND MORE ABOUT LEADERSHIP

One can safely conclude that the campaigns period leading up to Kenya’s general elections is again, here with us. For quite some time we have all been yearning for a revolution, change, new faces, new everything but this almost always remains nothing but just a simple little wish deep within us. All we always hear are the same old voices, a bit louder, saying the same old things “promises” that they always say every election period. I wonder why we always fall for this guys “politicians” sweet nothings, yet we are the very same people who raise up our voices behind the scenes to share with a friend that we are tired??? Is it possible for me to do something more than just complain all day behind the scenes? YES it is. Change is not always easy but it is possible. It starts with you and me. The power to make this change we thirst so much for a reality, lies in our hands as the electorate. If only we could realize and appreciate just how much political power lies in the hands of the electorate, then no one from the political class would dare joke with us. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time.  We are the ones we’ve been waiting for, we are the change that we seek. Start now by saying NO to those who still think that it’s all about having a deep pocket and YES to those who’s definition of success is seeing you and me EMPOWERED. Your vote is the single most powerful tool that you can use to exercise your choice during the polls. When that time comes make a wise choice and vote for CHANGE!!

I NEED SLEEP

We’ve all been out there today going about our diverse daily hustles and bustles as is the norm. Be it school, businesses we run, employers we serve, communities we serve e.t.c  it is almost impossible not to flashback to the highs and lows of the day, our successes and failures, missed opportunities, sad at events that did not turn out exactly as planned by us and above all comparing all this to what your inner and outer circles of friends have achieved. Is it not interesting to see how social media in this era, has made that easy? At the click of a button, on facebook for example, you notice your newly wed friend. A fact that leaves you as the last man or woman standing in the singles club. You get to see your former high school or campus classmate’s latest ride and new house in locations you’ve dreamt off all your life that suddenly seems so mysterious in a manner likely to suggest possible connections to “Madam Anne Waiguru.” Haha, just saying, no hard feelings. Generally you get to view profiles of people you may or may not know in this global village that we now are and get an understanding of what life to them means, based on their ways of living

Personally I would love to just jump into bed and drift away into a world full of so many dreams. Some so sweet that we wish never to wake up but bec  ause I am only human too, here I am in bed, half asleep warming up my cold pillow as unanswered questions glide in and out of mind. This is how almost all my nights always are. But instead I choose to focus on me and me alone. I’m not self centred lakni, just that little precious Alone time we always like to have. So how was my day, any learnt lessons, given another chance to see tomorrow what would I do differently and above all, have I grown and developed, doesn’t matter how small the change is, but still, have I grown into a better being compared to who I was yesterday? Some very easy questions from sight yet complicated when given some thought, that I think count a lot. Only then can I get some rest with great satisfaction that atleast my valuable 24 hours,  freely given to us all, were economically used.

Sleeping is nice. You forget about everything for a little while but before I embrace my dreams throughout this night, how about I leave you thinking about this: “Don’t compare your results to someone else’s. You can never be another person, you can only be a better version of yourself.” Today has been cancelled. Go back to bed and embrace your dreams throughout the night. TOMORROW COMES WITH A WHOLE NEW LIGHT!!

My Ideal Friday Night !!

Finally the long, beautiful week has come to an end. Guess what people???Yeah It's Friday or as most people here like referring to it "Furahi day". This is infact the most awaited day of the week and indeed like the name suggests it is full of so much Furaha. The difference though is that we all have our own unique ways of marking this day and getting the most out of it, not only this single day but the entire weekend. We can't all be the same, and the definition of fun may vary from one person to the other. If you don't find somethings interesting but you still do them anyway just because your friends and all the people around you are doing them or because it's the trend right now and you simply don't want to be left out   then you may be on the wrong path. Why hurt yourself just to please other people, why try so much to fit in and in the end you loose yourself in the process , while you can just be yourself and experience life to the fullest happy and fulfilled. Well if that is you don't you worry because it's never too late to change and start all over again. For sometime, I think then I was suffering from an identity crisis and in an effort to find out the real me, I tried so many things, went through very many places, passed through different experiences, did anything and everything without questioning them but still nothing was as fulfilling as I thought they would be. They say that everything in life is a learning process and indeed I learnt mine and I still am. It may have costed me, it may have slowed me from getting to my destiny, people who had great hopes and believed in me may not want to associate with me right now and above all the child I was back then if brought back to life may be disappointed in the adult I became but this is life and things happen. If it was part of my story already written by our maker, the best I could have done was only play the role as scripted. No regrets, just learnt lessons and good ones that I can share with you if interested. One thing I realize now is that it wasn't an identity crisis but an "eye dentity" crisis. How couldn't I have noticed that God is all I ever needed??? Atleast now I know and for Him I live and his purpose for me is what keeps me going unlike back then when it was all about people's acceptance. I can tell you from experience that if you live for others acceptance then you may die from their rejection. Why not try finding christ and make him the Centre of your life???? If your friends don't like you because of being you then those are not genuine friends. They may start referring to you as an outcast but I prefer that to being cast out from the kingdom of the almighty God which promises us much better things. I am only humane and that makes us imperfect, so I don't discriminate my friends judging on who they are, what they do or where they come from. Am not sure yet but I hope that nothing changes amongst my friends, both current and those that we've been through all this together. Once in a while catching up with you guys is inevitable. My Ideal Friday night out though would be this, lighting up a campfire by the tent at a cool, quiet site that is far away from everything and in the middle of nowhere, am not sure there's such a place but am sure there are nice camp sites around. I can already see myself staring into the dark sky admiring the stars and the moon, all this with that special someone to talk the night away with some great music playing in the background. Sometimes it's not always about sex, the best type of intimacy is where you just lay back, laugh together at the stupidest things, hold each other, and enjoy each others company. You can already guess that she ain't around yet and thus writing is my next best friend. Indoor movies would do great to, at times even a "kesha"  would come into the picture. Partying, happening, turning up are just not my cup of tea. YOLO, Our generation says. I can't dispute that fact but if we live right once is enough. This is Me being Me.