Some years ago I clearly understood the saying that says all that goes around comes around and tenda wema nenda zako.
I have been sharing about my 4 years experience as a school drop out(Dropped out of school in 1999 in form two and went back to school in 2004 form two) and part of it in the streets, doing drugs and other crimes.
In the Nakuru town streets, I met a cousin of my dad called Wanjiru danger who was selling mtumba at the Wahia market. She started guiding me and at some point involved me at her small business of mitumba shoes at the road side. At least there I could get some cash as well as guidance and she helped me start changing my life gradually.
One major issue that was threatening the business is Nakuru County Police(Kanjo). Every day they would invade the business and sometimes arrest people around and carry all the merchandise. They would come hiding and running and within minutes you would just see a kanjo guy stepping on your gunia. There was this very specific Kanjo guy Momanyi(Not his real name). He just hated me for no reason and he would ensure am arrested every week. He hated me with passion. Our effort to build the business which was giving me hope was frustrated by the Kanjo as we would lose a number of pairs of the shoes as well as some money every time they came and after some months Wanjiru closed the business so I was forced to go back to selling the polythene papers and pick-pocketing.
Years later I went back to school. performed very well actually I was the 4th best student in KCSE at Anestar High School in 2006. Mr Gatimu the owner of the school gave me a job as a primary school teacher due to the performance and I was able to improve my life and prepare to join Campus.
Remember the Momanyi who was a Kanjo guy? Here is the story.
I was teaching Mathematics, English and Science but my favourite was Science. My pupils loved me and I really helped them improve and like the subjects more so Science. I would get a mini score of 78%. Aminatta(not her real name) is one pupil who really improved in my class. By the time I started teaching them she was scoring on average 40% in the science subject but by the end of the year and whole of class seven she never scored below 88%. She liked science with passion and kept thanking me for helping her understand and improve.
One day during the visiting day, I was just walking from the office towards the gate and I saw the girl pointing at me and shouting with excitement in the company of both parents and younger siblings. She came running and requested that the parents wanted to see me. When I went to them, I realized that the father was the Mr Momanyi the Kanjo guy who frustrated our fagia mtumba business. I greeted them and they were full of joy meeting me and kept praising me for the great performance and help I had shown to their daughter.
I told the gentleman that I knew him and he laughed with excitement and when he asked where we met I narrated my ordeal but jokingly and before I finished he pretended like he was picking up a call and left full of embarrassment.
Having known the father, I committed myself to help the daughter the more and by the time I was leaving the institution she was one of the best pupil, best performing and motivated ready to conquer the world. How the dad treated me at the streets didn’t trigger revenge but passion to inspire and impact.
Over time I have learnt How to Treat People, Not as Bad as They Are, but as Good as I would wish to be.
It really does not matter what other people say and do. All that matters is what you yourself, say and do.
That’s all that truly matters.
The majority of people have no idea the harm they are doing, to themselves and the whole world by behaving the way they do.
They honestly don’t know.
They are clueless!
You never know what that house girl, boda boda guy, matatu conductor, that neighborhood drunkard, your EX, or that person you despise will become in the future. Treat them with dignity.
My friend, you know better. And you can do better. Offer them a silent blessing and let them be.
The truth of the matter is that we live in a world of duality, a world where, in order for the good to exist the bad has to be present also.
Even though we might not realize this now, we all need each other to continue our journeys – the good people need the bad people, and the bad people need the good people – it’s all for the greatest good of all.
Time and chance happens to them all and all that goes around comes around. Tenda wema nenda zako.
