My younger brother was sent home by his teacher. He was in grade three in a public school in Kisii town, an ever green environment with water springing from its hills non stop. There is a water point where we used to fetch water from back in the late 90s and the last time I was in Kisii town I passed by it and it’s still flowing out clean water almost twenty years later.
My brother didn’t have an exercise book so his teacher asked him to go and ask his parent to buy him one. I came in for lunch and found a m at our rented house. He looked distraught and teary. My dad was seated on his seat his head supported by his hands. I knew something wasn’t good. I thought maybe my brother had done a mistake and so was up for some punishment. But I asked from him what was the trouble. My dad could not explain it without choking due to emotions. I saw it hurt him so much. He didn’t have ten shillings to buy my brother an exercise book. My brother on the other hand being about nine years old, couldn’t understand how on earth his father couldn’t afford to buy him a mere 48 pages exercise book. One was hurting from the fact of feeling not able to provide for his kid and the other was finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that struggles are real and that it’s possible to be poor, hungry and broken all at the same time.
I always recall this story because I consider it the most rock bottom in my life to date. I have been through hard times but they don’t compare to how I felt that day. Even now when I talk about it, in my heart I feel exactly how it felt on that afternoon in Kisii.
We all have real struggles and I never downplay any part of my struggle. I also appreciate your struggle and I would be quick to listen to your story rather than tell you mine. I have not died because my struggle was not meant to kill me but to make me grow through it. Just like a flower that grows on concrete. Life can dump you in a garbage pile and then people knowingly or unknowingly add to the pile but you need to find it within your heart of hearts to always rise up. No matter the heap please rise up my friend.
Yes, it’s not cliché it’s the truth. You have the power within you to conquer any situation that comes your way. I told you it’s all about your mindset. Mostly, it’s not the situation that’s against you it’s your reaction to it that is creating resistance and this is your weak point. You are far more stronger than you think, far more intelligent than you think.
I will give you an analogy before I leave you to think about today’s story. Imagine standing in front of a mirror. You can’t see your image clearly and on close observation you realize the mirror is covered in dust. You decide to wipe the dust off and the dust gets in your face. You wipe it off anyway then gaze again at the mirror. Now, you can see your image clearly as you are. That’s how I think of our lives sometimes. We have dust covering our true identity and the image we mirror onto the universe is never clear. You kind of see yourself partially. But when you wipe the dirt through education, not academics, personal development and a desire to be a better person each day (and many more ways, because there isn’t just one way and I honestly can’t mention the entire process here) you start seeing who you truly are, you ability and power. You start vibrating on higher frequencies. You become woke as we put it nowadays in our social circles. You are in tune with your true self. You reflect your true self on the universe and what comes back is greatness. A person excellent in every aspect of life. This is way better than being perfect.
My friend honor your struggle. Have the attitude that your struggle is working for your good. Whatever it is you are struggling with it doesn’t matter its nature or magnitude. What matters is how you grow through it. Don’t just go through it. If you hate your struggle then you won’t learn how to overcome it. You need to embrace your struggle, accept it, own it then look at it from a point of how to take the lessons from the struggle and use it to be a better person!
The only way you will overcome your struggle is when you stop hating it. Remember, some life lessons don’t go away until they are passed. The only way to overcome is through outgrowing your struggles.
Be your own source of strength and create calmness from within even when it’s raging chaos knocking outside your door.
Peace and much love! Cheers!
Shared a link by Wikipedia if you would like to know more about Kisii Town.
Ng'ong'a 
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