I choose to end the year with a positive message. Therefore, dear reader, I invite you to be thankful for what you have, for when we concentrate on what we do not have, we will never have enough. With gratitude, the wasteland of lack disintegrates.
I
declare that Kenya is better today than it was yesterday, but it remains
riven by old ethnic rifts and fresh hatreds. These iniquities are born
when we lose sight of basic humanity and fail to grasp the fact that our
diversity is our strength.
We must reverse this trend
by embracing a way of life guided by tolerance, fairness, justice,
empathy, and love. When these values shape our priorities and reactions,
then we vow that, no matter who and/or what we are, we can see
ourselves in one another.
This safeguards the dignity
of all, especially the most vulnerable among us. That should bind our
country together. Subsequently, our lives get enriched and our country
shines, for the greatness of a nation is reflected by how it treats its
less fortunate.
This should be our clarion call during this festive season and beyond.
As
a people, we are diverse and with varying abilities. By working
together — having the old mentor the young, the young inspire the old,
and the strong help the weak — we give fully. United, our power is
illimitable.
Be the change that you wish to see in
Kenya, for everything starts with you. Take your first step and make
your presence glow by acting with empathy and compassion, energy and
purpose. Shining your caring light makes Kenya a better place. All this
requires will and effort.
When we operate on our
default setting, we never consider possibilities that are not obvious.
Contrastingly, if love and compassion drive our lives, we learn to pay
attention to other options. This enables us to empathise with those
whose reality differs from ours.
It gives us impetus
to venture outside the bounds of our realms and wonder how it would feel
like to have been born other than the way we are. Eventually, we will
be able to hear the screams of others and open our hearts to their
suffering.
Let us give our voice to the voiceless and
imagine ourselves in the lives of those who do not have our privileges.
Consequently, our existence will be celebrated beyond our families as we
will have positively influenced the reality of many. This is the power
we need to vivify our nation; the power to be our neighbour’s keeper.
Let
us support and encourage one another, for abilities wither under
fault-finding and blossom with encouragement. With encouragement, the
daughter of a peasant farmer becomes a surgeon and the son of a
street-hawker becomes a teacher. And we all win. Kenya wins.
Stars
cannot shine without darkness and diamonds cannot get polished without
friction. Similarly, man cannot be perfected without trials.
Logically
therefore, our trials, temptations, and disappointments strengthen the
fibre of our character. Every endured trial ennobles our souls, every
conquered temptation invigorates our moral energy, and every weathered
disappointment bolsters our resolve.
As you take action
to fulfil your dream this year, remember that not every action will
produce the desired result. This does not mean you have failed; you have
just found another way that will not work.
Failure teaches you things about yourself. It makes you better, stronger, and wiser.
As
Nelson Mandela once said, failure is inevitable. In fact, living a
failure-free life is ceasing to live, in which case, you fail by
default.
Finally, as you embark on the 2016 home
stretch, be reminded that your time on this planet is not limitless. So,
do not be trapped by dogma, do not allow your inner voice to be drowned
by the noise of others’ opinions, and, crucially, have the courage to
follow your intuition. And share love with your neighbours!
I wish you, dear reader, a joyous holiday season and an awesome 2017!
Prof Kibicho is the author of Sex Tourism in Africa and Traditional Martial Arts. kibichowanjohi@yahoo.co.uk.
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