6 July 2015

WHAT IF WE: APPRECIATE

Dorcas Kareithi #ForMyCity, food for thought, men, women 2 comments

“So I called my dad to wish him a happy father’s day and he laughed saying I've got jokes”.

I swear I burst out laughing that day. See this young lady known as Shiru wa Wanjiku is a funny one. Not only does she write beautiful poems that kiss your soul over and over (read them here), she is also a crazy one. You should hear the two of us having a conversation. I would like to blame the fact that we attended the same high school but that wouldn’t look good for the high school right? So I’ll just blame my circle of friends and make a mental note that I should get new ones.

You’ve got to love how we love these “Day” days. Valentine’s Day, Christmas Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Labour Day, Independence Day, Birth-Day (lol)...then there are those days that we have invented; sijui WhatsApp Admin Day, Best Friends Day et al. Any reason to buzz over social media platforms; right?

I remember when I used to volunteer at a certain children’s home where this young lad who we shall name Jude used to reside. Among his peers of ages two to three, he was the sweetest thing alive…stubborn he was, but I mean, he would hide sweets given by the frequent visitors to give to babies that were asleep when visitors came. Occasionally he would give me one when I left for home in the evening and ask me to take it to keep it as his way to say “thank you for taking care of us today”. Well, he would also add that I should not eat it but give it to that baby we had at home because “sweet ni za watoto (sweets are for young ones)”, but that is beside the point. You know that warm fuzzy feeling you feel in your stomach, your insides warming up and you feel like hugging someone? That's how I felt...each and every time. Believe you me that small act would make me look forward to being in that home as early as possible.

Ever attended a burial where those in attendance fill their sentences with “so and so was a good person…they did this and this for me…..they used to do this every day…I wish I could tell them how I appreciated it…if only they would wake up and see how grateful I am…”? Many are the times that we take for granted what others do to us, until the grim reaper takes them away or they stop doing it; then we start singing the “I miss the way you used to” song. We live in a society where when and if someone does something for you, you think they are obligated to do that because, I mean… it is you. Or some society rules dictate that they do.

Well, I say break those societal rules and obligations. I mean, do we have to wait until the next “Day” day so that we appreciate someone by putting their picture as our profile picture, or post on walls about how much we appreciate their existence (while knowing too well that they are not on the social media platform you posted and you would rather do that for the “likes” than say it in person) , or wait for the day things start going south and memories of what they used to do is all we have, or death takes them away?

We need not to! Appreciate that person who sacrifices for your sake. Someone makes food for you? Appreciate. Someone does your laundry? Appreciate. Someone keeps checking on you? Appreciate. Someone is always there? Appreciate. Someone teaches you a lesson? Appreciate. Someone takes care of you? Appreciate. Someone taught you what you now know? Appreciate. Someone did that thing for you? Appreciate. Someone helped you? Well, appreciate!

I appreciate you all who take the time to read my posts.