LIVE INTENTIONALLY.

 

"You are a worthless, good for nothing imbecile!" I know this is a bit harsh, but to tell the truth how many times have you been told that you are an idiot & that you will amount to nothing in life? No wants to raise their hands isn't! I get it. It is shameful to be demeaned like as if you are not a son or daughter of somebody but a mistake that just happened.

It hurts that we never watch what we utter to others with such bitterness, especially when we realize that they don't grasp things the same way that we do. We cuss them out, demean, humiliate & even embarrass them before their peers. Yet there we are, lift our heads high like proud peacocks & walk like as if we are the rulers of the earth. 

It is such a pity that instead of uplifting our fellow brothers & sisters, we make it our sole mission to ensure that they amount to total failures. We all have dreams & it does not mean cause someone else has one different than ours that theirs is not valid. No one is given a dream without being given the power to make it a reality.

In this so called journey of pursuing happiness, the freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs or impede their efforts to obtain it. One thing I have realized about the future is that it belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

For we all have dreams & it is unfortunate that most of us don't realize them but just let them wither away to become faint memories in the back of our minds. In order to make our dreams a reality, it takes one to have determination, dedication, self-discipline & the effort required.At times we become the ones to blame when we block our dreams by allowing our fears to grow bigger than our faith. 

We should realize that our dreams always lay outside our comfort zone. Yes others are putting us down, yes we are made to feel worthless, yes we make mistakes every now & then, yes we are not where we are meant to be in life. So what, as long as there is breath in our lungs, untapped potential lies within us, waiting to be released.

"Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations, for if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live".   Henry David Thoreau

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. - See more at: http://www.liveintentionally.org/2011/01/10/23-inspirational-quotes-about-dreams/#sthash.3eUKzElT.dpuf

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. - See more at: http://www.liveintentionally.org/2011/01/10/23-inspirational-quotes-about-dreams/#sthash.3eUKzElT.dpuf

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. - See more at: http://www.liveintentionally.org/2011/01/10/23-inspirational-quotes-about-dreams/#sthash.3eUKzElT.dpuf

YOU SHALL WEATHER THE STORM.

Eureka! I have discovered the fountain of youth, such a wonder in itself (just kidding, am still searching in the very depths of the earth for this magnificence). The myth of its existence still lives on & maybe one day we shall get to experience the wonders of this magical fountain (but am not keeping my hopes up for that happening any time soon). In life each & every one of us faces a storm designed for our own kind of weather.

It is said that an entire sea of water can't sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. The negativity occasioned by the world in the form of woes can't put you down unless you allow it to get to you. Weathering the storm, is in all likeness, one facing the greatest hurdles that are in every day living but paving a way even in the toughest of times, for there are times when you are bombarded with stressful situations from all sides that you nearly snap like a twig. 

How can one bear all this yet at times we fell broken, crushed & beyond recovery. I will tell you how, at times we need to take a chill pill, regroup & get our reinforcement from the barracks by arming ourselves with heavy artillery in the form of faith, hope & persistence. It  was quoted in the spider-man movie that "with great powers comes great responsibilities". Sometimes you just need to bow your head, say a prayer & weather the storm.

If you spend your whole life waiting to calm the storm, you will always be in a losing battle & never get the chance to enjoy the sunshine. We need to realize that after every storm the sun will smile, for in every problem there is a solution & the soul's indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer. Remember that you can never achieve anything unless you take action, no matter how good your ideas may be.

You can always wait until conditions are perfect before starting to take action towards achieving your goals. But unfortunately conditions will never be perfect, some factor will be  missing. So what will happen, is that you keep putting off any action on your part. Procrastination will set in & your chances of progress will at best be delayed & possibly eliminated altogether. Instead "learn to dance in the rain". 

"The wise man in the midst of the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger but deliverance from fear".

WALK AWAY, I DON'T THINK SO!

Damn isn't life just a bed full of roses. No wonder it is said that to make any reasonable decision one is obligated to consider these three factors: the choices involved, know the challenges to be faced & the consequence to be dealt with. Now, I get why we are always told to think twice before we act. 

Must have been quite a scenario, the scale of life weighing heavily on whether we wanted a blissful life paradise on earth or a cloud of misery looming over head like a blood thirsty demon ready to pounce. If I have a butterfly in my clenched fist & I asked you if it was alive or dead, what would be your answer? Am guessing some of you will say it is alive others will opt to say that it is lifeless. 

The best answer will be that it depends, cause if you say it is alive I may extinguish its life by clenching my fist even more & if you say it is lifeless, I may just unclench my fist & let it fly away. I have a friend who decided to take a bold step & start her own fashion blog. It had dawned on her that she understood what fashion is all about, not just what one wears but how one feels in their own skin. 

At first it seemed like a huge step, as Neil Armstrong put it, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". Well, she put aside her fears after numerous attempts to subdue her hesitance, decided to go ahead with her gut feeling & unleashed her page, which became quite an inspiration to women out there. 

What am trying to say is quite simple, do not let the fear of the unknown be the barrier to your greatest achievement. It may seem like a far fetched reality but dreaming big costs nothing. My advise, never ever walk away from what you deem as achievable. At first it may give you all sorts of migraines but you can step aside for a while & regroup your thoughts. 

Then come back reinforced with new energy to combat this monstrosity that has paved its way to your doorstep. You will realize that though it is easy to just get up, pack up your things & leave,  fighting for what you believe in is the most rewarding feeling in a battle of wits. 

IF YOU CAN LOOK UP, YOU CAN GET UP.

I am going to say it if you are not, 'life is not fair'. There I said it, am sure you are trying to figure out what am blubbering about. This is nothing new, this is an old age truth only spoken off in hushed tones in the dark corners, as we smile at each other while holding the proverbial knives ready to stab each other in the back. 

It is one of the stages of life that just tugs along like a shadow always lurking around. So what if it is? Does it mean the we have to yield to its ever tightening vice grip. Hell to the NO! You are not meant to be dragged in the mud, when life takes upon itself to rain down hell fire of chaos & havoc like the times of sodom & gomorrah. 

I have faced enough demons to know that not all the time do things work out in ones favour. At times, things just blaze up like the fiery furnace of the abyss (I think you get my drift). Leaving you all vulnerable like a soldier bringing a knife to a gun fight & exposed like a smashed up piñata. Haaa! 

The irony that is life,  really does drive a hard bargain when you aim to propel yourself to be the best, only to end up face first in the muddy pools of failure. Have you ever tried an idea for the first time & instead of working as planned it takes a nose dive like radarless plane plummeting from the blue skies. 

NO! Well I have & let me tell you when you give your all to something that you thought was your salvation & it ends up being your destruction it is not a sweet feeling as it will leave you wrecked like a ship lost at sea. Not only did I topple to the ground & start writhing in despair but also felt hopeless, lost & beyond recovery. 

I became a product of my failure, allowing my detour in a logically planned destiny leave me in psychological ruin. I was cast aside just like leftovers from banquet feast. It took me a while before I finally decided to get back on my feet. Life may as well be welding a pair of handcuffs just waiting to shackle & immobilize you efforts. 

You have to believe that no matter how many times you fall, you better pick yourself up, dust yourself & stare life right in the eye & say out loud, "you punch like a girl". As put by Les Brown, "When you fall down, if you can look up, you can get up". 

UNSHACKLED BY THE TRUTH.

 

"The truth shall set you free"(such an over used phrase) does it really unshackle you from the bounds of the horrendous lies you cover yourself with like an insurance policy! Yes it does, it ensures your liberty of mind, but at a cost, for not many relate well with been faced with the hard truth. Rather it shall be rephrased as "the truth shall set you free, but first it will make you miserable".

How sweet a lie tastes once it has rolled off our very tongue & reached the ears of those around us. We bath in the tiny lies we started off with ever since we were young tacks, relishing the juiciness of the words, making promises that will never see light of day but rather for our own selfish ends. How some of us think that the truth can be hidden with a little cover-up & decoration, but as time goes by what is true is revealed & what is fake fades away.

I have come to the realization that the truth is like sunshine, the grey clouds may block it out but soon or later it will pierce the darkness & be exposed like the blossoming rose flower. Look at it this way if you are told that there is a God (whom you can't see) you believe of His existence but if you are told the paint is wet, due to unbelief you go ahead & touch the surface to confirm its truth.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on".          

Winston Churchill

How fascinating that we tell lies when we are afraid.....afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time one tells a lie, that which we fear grows stronger. God did not give you the strength to get back on your feet so that you can run back to what knocked you down.

  

"Some of us will not tolerate such emotional honesty in communication. They would rather defend their dishonesty on the grounds that it might hurt others. Therefore having rationalized their phoniness into nobility, they settle for superficial relationships".

IS BLOOD REALLY THICKER THAN WATER!

 

In a life well lived, we at times form bonds with people who are strangers & later on in life become our closest of friends (such is the wonder of being human). Thus the unwinding clock of time draws us closer to strangers who become like family. It is indeed such a unique phenomena that has wrecked mankind with this awkwardness of linking up with another human being & just like that (*snaps fingers*) a friendship is sparked like a match been lit to start a forest fire. 

Having a true & loyal friend is one of the most valuable assets to have in occupancy of this realm of our reality. I wonder, (just a thought) how is it that we are drawn to those whom we deem as our friends & rarely engage with those whom we deem family or of our blood. The answer is simple, family is not only those whom you are related to by blood but rather those whom you have been with through the thick & thin (as is commonly phrased).

Some of us think just because we are related by blood we are friends, that is not the news on the streets. Blood may be what relates us but not bind us. It is such a pity that when it comes to those you call family, they become the first ones to sell you out or rather snitch on you to save their own skins. It is those who have been with you through the struggles & successes that count as being la familia. 

"When you have a good friend that really cares for you & tries to stick in there with you, you treat them like nothing. Learn to be a good friend because one day, you are going to look up & say I lost a good friend. Learn how to be respectful to your true friends. Always remember that your true friends will be there quicker than your family. Your truest friends are the ones who will stand by you in your darkest moments, because they are willing to brave the shadows with you & in your greatest moments, because they are not afraid to let you shine"

LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND!

 

It has been a while since I last graced this page, but no matter, my obligation & duty still remains the same. Though it feels like as if it was ages ago, when I last jotted down my thoughts of the world in this realm of reality. I wonder why life is such a brutal oppressor of ones liberty, draining one of all optimism that you had banked on getting you through this rocky path of life.

If that is how the world wants to play games, I will show it who is the coach. Anyway to the more pressing matters & just a single question, "why are we a back stabbing lot filled with so much vile when others succeed?" Hmmm, anyone! Ooh, so no one wants to answer that one. Is it that I have touched quite a sensitive nerve or is it just that you don't give a damn!

So, you have decided to block me with deathly silence. I see! I will not let your blank cold stares deter me from my chosen destination. Now, since you are an uncooperative lot, I will press on with my early query(which still remains unanswered). We claim to be our brothers & sisters keeper, yet we act like Judas who selfishly betrayed Jesus & take up the behavior of Peter who denounced ever knowing the living Christ, what a shame!

I have watched how at work places, rivalries have arisen just because one of us has escalated in the ladder of  success & gotten that promotion you were secretly eying. Well, that is how the world works, nothing is fair nor is it just handed down to you. Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe he or she was more deserving of the seat you lusted for.

If we are to progress in this life, we need to put our differences aside & take arms along side our brothers & sisters from another mother in fulfilling our dreams which I still believe are valid. You should take a leaf from the marines or the seals (or is it the military), for them their personal motto (or something like a slogan of sorts) is "leave no man behind no matter what!"

We should not turn our backs on others but rather offer a hand. One thing I have learned is that no man succeeds without a good & supportive woman behind him. Be it a wife or ones mother, if it is both then he is twice blessed.

IT IS NOT OVER,YET!

It is indeed true that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (or so they say). I have faced challenges in life just like the way Daniel faced the lions in the den, but what I have come to realize is that God never forsakes His people. You may feel as though you are Hercules carrying the weight of the whole world on your shoulders, but you need to realize that you can overcome all that stands in your way just like the way David did when he took down Goliath (the supposed mighty warrior & giant) with a single blow.

One can be pulled from all sides & stretched like an elastic band to the point of feeling like letting go, just like a sling shot. What is is it about this life that we face such turmoil, happiness all in one heap? For at times things will be working in your favour, the next time they are going to the dogs. Such is life, an ingrate feeding off us like a leech with no remorse nor second thought of its actions. That been so, we should never allow ourselves to be put down by the circumstances revolving around our lives.

Yes life is hard! Yes nothing comes easy! Yes life is not fair! Yes we suffer from time to time! Yes we are facing an economic crunch like no other! So what! Life is not meant to be a bouquet of flowers but rather a bed of thorns. So you better get used to it & deal with it, the time for letting your frustrations, anger, disappointments & misery ride you like a jokey are over. Man or woman up & face life with renewed strength, am not saying it is going to be easy but it is better to do something rather than just lazying around & do nothing.

THE LAST GOODBYE.

Our time on earth is fleeting & as we grow older, we become increasingly aware of this fact. Although it may be easier said than done, all hurt , troubles & disappointments of the past or present should not stop us from living our next moments in our pursuit of happiness. Each day is a second chance to make a change for the better & we should use the opportunity to express ourselves in a more positive manner. 

"There comes a time in your life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama & the people who create it & surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard that you forget the bad & focus solely on the good. After all, life is too short to be anything but happy".

Karl Max

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living in someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others opinion drown your own inner voice & most important, have the courage to follow your heart & intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become, everything else is secondary.

I have come to realise that what disappoints us most in life, is the picture in our head of how it is supposed to be. That been so, most of the problems that invade our lives are because of two reasons: we act without thinking or we keep thinking without acting. We need to be bold enough to use our voices, brave enough to listen to our hearts & strong enough to live the life we have always imagined.

Always remember, to look up at the stars & not down at your feet. Secondly, never to give up your work, as it gives one meaning & purpose. Thirdly, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there & don't throw it away. Fourthly, live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one would believe it. Fifthly, let it be that each day you are alive that you live as if it is your last.

THE CRY OF MY PEOPLE.

"Wuuuuwii! Wuuuuwii! Wuuuuwii!" This is the chilly scream that pierces the air as mothers', fathers',  brothers', sisters' cry & wail having witnessed the massacre their loved ones by the malicious beings who took hostage a learning institution. In the global news the killing of students at the Garrisa University has spread like wild fire, consuming all that are in its path. In which more than 147 people were killed by the terrorists who decided to extinguish their young lives. 

I can but only imagine the pain which such a loss has occasioned, as the loss of a loved one is no small thing, as it tears at the very fabric that holds one sanity together. Why is life so unfair? What is it about heavy human loss that ignites the government to take action when it is too late? Claims by the government officials that at least 600 lives were spared, has nothing to hold water with. What the hell is that? The 147 lives lost were of someone's son & daughter & yet the officials have the audacity to state they did what they could, that is just utter rubbish. 

I believe if the threats had been taken seriously the number of casualties would have been fewer or even none at all. One thing I do know is that prevention is better than cure.  We are not one & don't chant those words if you do not understand their true & valuable meaning. Am at a loss, when did we become such uncouth human beings with no trace of humanity left in us, laying waste to all that is before us. When did lives become so meaningless & not worth saving? 

I guess priorities have changed over what is important & needing our attention. The government keeps on saying, "we have everything under control". Is this a joke! So many lives lost, blood stained walls, bleeding & mutilated bodies laying where they last took refugee a& yet officials can boldly claim we have things under control. Did you see the kind of pain felt by mothers & fathers tear stained, broken, disoriented realizing that their only child will no longer be joining them. 

We are meant to live as a single unit yet we lash out at each other with such animosity, terminating lives like as if this is such an ordinary thing. I will light a candle for the ones who have lost so much & those whom we have lost, the traumatised who went through the worst kind of ordeal they could have ever imagined. I will say a prayer that God helps us, as those in power are only there to fatten their bellies and not do their job. My condolence to all those who lost a loved one, may God give you strength in this trying and difficult times.  

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.

Tick, tock, tick, tock that is the sound of the clock ticking away. Sweat glistering on your forehead, as you anxiously wait to hear the good or bad news or is it the news that will decide your fate (I don't know). Fingers tapping anxiously on the table, feet constantly shaking, a bewildered look on your glum face & there you are sitting down wondering what is going to happen next. Such is the reality that we immerse ourselves into once we become uncertain of what life holds for us in its tight vice like grip.  

"Fear is an emotion in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)". 

Fear is one of the most powerful forces that comes in second after love (which is the most dreaded feeling that overwhelms & renders one lacking in all sensibility). I do have fear & am pretty sure that you also have your own fear just like there are skeletons in your closet. Well then, now that we are all fearful of one thing or the other, let us begin.

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear & the oldest and strongest kind of fear is the fear of the unknown".

The feeling of having fear keeps one focused mostly on the past, failures, regrets, weaknesses or just plain worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that we are overcomes & it is just our hesitation and the question of "what if" that holds us back. I have come to realize that if you want to catch your dream, you have to drop your fears. 

True fear will stifle your thinking & actions. It tends to create indecisiveness within us that results in stagnation. I have seen many give up on a dream job just because the interview  didn't go well (So what! Pick yourself up, dust yourself off & look life straight in the face & tell it hits like a girl). We (myself included) all have a tendency to procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Know this lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence & the downward spiral of events in ones life.

THE GRUMBLER.

I have just realized that of late, I have been complaining way too much & this was just pointed out to me by a fellow colleague just the other day.  She stated that not one single day has ever gone by without me say, "am stressed". Let me tell you if it reaches a place where those around you notice your consistent grumbling you need to put a lid on it. 

Am not saying you keep mum about that which ails you but rather find a more suitable way of expressing your frustrations enacted by life. That being so, I chose that instead of every time letting loose my tongue about how unfair this life is, why not count my blessings. Come to think of it, I do have quite a good number of blessings that God has been so gracious to reward me with. 

I have the gift of life (a good number of people are lost in this journey of life), I have good health (there are those on life support machines), I have a roof over my head (I do know of street families sleeping in the cold), I have clothes to warm me (others are just walking about in tattered rugs), I have food to eat (knowing there are those who struggle even to get that single meal of the day).......... e.t.c. 

By the way don't sit there looking all holy & thou at me with that pointy finger of yours, am quite sure you have had moments you unleashed your woes, claiming that they have worn you out & that you are sick and tired. It is human to let loose a torrent of complaints here & there, but how come we always forget to appreciate the little that we have.

It seems being an ingrate is like our customary way of life. Shackled to the grumbler nation anthem, raising our fists up in the air like the brotherhood oppressed by the colonial powers. Our cries of the unjust way life has enveloped us in a choke hold, draining all life from our lungs as we struggle to take in a whiff of the fresh air of freedom from our problems as we like to point out.

Anyway to each his own, if you want to see change you better be the change you desire. In all my existence what I have come to realize is that, "what you confess you profess". That being the case in point, I have decided to dedicate each day been grateful for what the good Lord has blessed me with, you may endeavour to do like wise if you so wish.

I AM BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVOURED!

This is indeed going to be quite a week of sorts, the heavenly clouds have opened up like the tomb of Tutankhamun & it has begun to drizzle but am presuming that is a sign that the rains will be upon us soon enough. It is fulfilling to be of good cheer on a day like this when the weather is just right, not too cold not too hot.

Well it seems, we should start counting our blessings as is meant to be instead of grumbling about all that is not right in our lives. I am just saying, each Monday morning you will hear one person or the other complain "aargh is it Monday again, I wish the weekend could have extended just a little bit". How we wish that there could be a day between Saturday & Sunday, but anyway, "if wishes were horses beggars will ride".

Fear not for Easter will soon be with us & you will get to enjoy that extended weekend that you relish so much. Although It may seem that time flies, it never travels faster than one day. Each day is a new opportunity to live your life to the fullest. In each waking day, you will find scores of blessings & opportunities fro positive change. Do not let your today be stolen by the unchangeable past of the indefinite future! Today is a new day!

"Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many, not on our past misfortunes, of which all men have some".

Life is not all about receiving every time, it is more of a combination of being thankful for what you have as blessings & sharing those blessings with others who need just a little fraction of what you have. For gratitude lifts our eyes off the things we lack so that we might see the blessings we possess.

"May we be strengthened with the understanding that being blessed does not meant that we shall always be spared all the disappointments & difficulties of life. May your days be many & your troubles few, may all God's blessings descend upon you, may peace be within you, may your heart be strong & may you find what you are seeking wherever you roam".

IT IS NOT OVER UNTIL I WIN.

During the hard times, you must have faith. Hard times are not meant to to stay, but they have come to pass. "No matter how bad it is, no matter how bad it gets, you are going to make it". You must have patience & engage in consistent action in all that you do to sustain yourself on this life. You are the determining factor in making it in this life & easy is not an option. 

Frank Sinatra is quoted as having said, "the best revenge is massive success". We tend not to live our dreams because we have fear, making us get stuck in a certain stage in life. Fear kills dreams, it can age you, it can hold you back & leave you in a hypnotic state. It is an illusion in our mind, "fear is false evidence appearing real". 

Go into action with your dream, most people don't get out of the arena of life, because they don't want to fight back. If only we could put God first in all that we do, we will never come in second. You should tell yourself each day, "I am blessed and highly favoured". Even if life knocks you down, jump back up & say, "it is not over until I win". In life you either two kinds mentality one being eyesight or mind-sight.

When one is having eyesight, it means judging things around you on what you see & mind-sight is how you interprate what you have seen. Through mind-sight you can determine how your world will look like, either as that of a whimp or of a champion. The thing about life is that it changes, sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down & sometimes anything can happen, during those down moments when you are knocked down that is when you build on it or you can let it destroy you. 

Your mind is your battle field & your thoughts are your weapon. People usually tell you what you are meant to do but not how you are meant to do it. Don't ever let anyone tell you can't do something, if you have a dream you have got to protect it. 

A QUEST BEYOND MY COMFORT ZONE.

Am so lost in this little quagmire of mine, caught up in the twists & turns in the afterlife of adulthood. Stretched out like an elastic band, feeling every nerve & fibre of my being growing weary by the minute. How can I stomach so much & still be standing here in awe of all the wonders of creation? Is it not that I have the privilege of living only live once, knowing there is no rewind button on the remote of time!

How time flies by without hesitation nor wasting a moment to glance at the wreckage left in its wake. How we wonder & get perplexed by the tiniest of things that rock our boats in the stormy sea. Looking at the massive waves striking against the side of our vessel, watching & waiting, hoping for the best expecting the worst, knowing that soon we shall capsize.

If only tit for tat was a fair game, instead of the merry go round that it truly is. We would have taken a step into the bright & colourful future which always seems so distant in the rugged horizon. Woe unto us & our short sighted nature we fail to see the glorious bounty that awaits us on the other side of of the island hidden like a lost treasure.

It may be true that no man is an island but to each his own. For if you want to land on the moon you better aim for the stars. We are but one body, if only as one voice we could lift each other up high on our shoulders instead of grinding each other with our feet. Do not let the small comforts be your hindrance to the  greater good that lies ahead in your path.

ON YOUR MARK,GET SET,GO!

"The truth shall set you free" those words are echoed every now & then with the hope that we shall adhere to their significant meaning. Yet we denounce it some many times like Peter who denied all knowledge of knowing Jesus. How we hide behind the web of lies that protect us from the reality that, whether we like it or not, the dark abyss we hide our dark secrets shall be illuminated by the brightness of the hard truth.

The very gift of life, gives each & every one of us the greatest opportunity to live & the chance to rise above any situation that may come our way, with a hopeful attitude you can overcome any struggle, even if it feels like as if it is heavy boulder weighing heavily on your shoulders. If & when you are able to overcome an obstacle no matter its magnitude, the glory and joy of achieving such a fate will be tremendous.

"When all seems hopeless and all has gone silent. that is destiny turning down the music, so that all may hear our response to life's great storms, giving our response the chance to echo throughout eternity with the level of greatness it deserves"

As an individual you are responsible for what happens in your future, no matter what has happened in the past. As long as we are bound by the past, we are not free to respond to the needs & aspirations of those in the present. For you are the definer of the path on which your fate shall lie. You may deem it fit to live a lie each & every day of your life, but mind you soon & very soon the truth shall be unveiled like the "changamka na bundles mwitu".

The thing about today is not being the best but rather being better than you were yesterday. We fall yes! Countless times, ooh yes! But that does not mean that we are meant to lie on the ground immobilized because the woes & deceit in our lives have taken over. No! We are meant to dust ourselves, accept that we are at fault & get back on our two feet. For if you can look up, you can get up & never give up.

WEATHERING THE STORM.

"Hey, are you lonely, do you feel like the odd one out, do you need a hug! Don't look at me am not offering am just asking". Why are you looking all puzzled, ooh you thought I was making an offer.  No I wasn't, it was just a thought that had crossed my mind. Anyway don't look all glum, today is a new day that is peeling itself like a banana. 

Let me ask you, is there something new that you have learnt in the past few days that have sailed through? It is okay you don't have to answer me.  One thing I have realised about this life is that no matter how hard things seem to be, there will always be something good coming just around the corner. 

Right now you may be going through something that hurts a lot & you are trying your best to forget about it, what I can beg of you is that though you want to erase the hurt never forget what it taught you. The thing about when the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through & how you managed to survive. 

You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over or if it is yet to brew afresh again. One thing that will be certain is that when you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That is what this storm is all about. There is an important lesson to be remembered when you are having a bad day, a bad month, or a catastrophic year. 

Things will change: you won't feel this way forever. Sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the ones your soul needs most. I believe you can't feel real joy unless you have felt heartache. You can't have a sense of victory unless you know what it means to fail. You can't know what it's like to feel holy until you know what it's like to feel tainted & unworthy. 

I truly believe that everything that we do & everyone that we meet is put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we are all teachers - if we are willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our positive instincts & not be afraid to take risks or wait for some miracle to come knocking at our door.

WHAT DEFINES YOU?

What a weekend, epic is the only descriptive word I can think of to describe such an eventful time. Anyway this is not my personal diary for me to jot down my shenanigans. Am sure you all have more important things to do than read about my weekend chronicles. Well then, life can either be a teacher when you are willing to learn from the experiences you go through or a torment when you yield to your own devices.

"Having a bad day? Put your hand on your heart. Feel that? That is called purpose. You are alive for a reason. Don'y give up yet!" Who are we when we enter this world? When we emerge from our mother's womb do we not become living & breathing beings. Are we not men & women of purpose, a calling, a bright future? Don't look down at your feet, wondering if you have qualified for any one of this.

I do know that we are prone to bad things happening to us or around us, how we respond to them will define our character & the quality of our lives. You can choose to either sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of your loss or you can choose to rise from the pain & treasure the most precious  gift of all & that is life itself.

You may have not yet reached your full potential or realised your dreams, but know this that you are meant to conquer all that stands & comes your way. The thing not to forget once you climb up the ladder of success is where you came from. For when you had nothing humility was you every day cup of tea. That being so do not forget where you came from once you have attained all that which you desire.

YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK.

"Hapo mtu wangu ndio mwisho wa reli, hii life imekuwa wagwaan kuruka". This is my friend telling me the plight of his life.  "Kila siku niko kwa husle na vile life ni khaard, lakini maisha nikuskuma hii gurudumu ndio nijijenge". He utters as he sits there bewildered by the fact that the struggle for making it in life has become a reality check. 

Well then, aluta continua. Looking down at the city streets, I see a throng of people rushing to catch the evening bus back home. Tired, hungry, drained, brain clogged, aching these are just but a few of the after-effects of a long day one has had to endure to put a meal on the table. Such is the life we live, trying to make meaning of it all.

Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. It is part of life to face & encounter obstacles. Overcoming the obstacles thrown at you like hand grenades, that is indeed the key to happiness. Nothing in this life is out of your reach & everything can be achieved through gradual steps, one small step at a time.

In this moments we live, you may encounter many defeats or falls. Do not be fettered, for it is through this defeats, you can know who you are, what you can rise from & how you can still come out of it. As a friend of mine just pointed out, "Mwanaume ni effort". Just like the brick walls, are there for a reason.

Brick walls are not there to keep us out but rather they are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something, because they are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough.

"Tafakari ya babu".

WE ALL SCREW UP, NO ONE IS PERFECT.

Who said that life is perfect? Who? Answer Me! Ooh, you have just decided to keep quite & let me hear my own hoarse voice echoing in this hollow void of life. No matter, I will still get an answer out of you. It seems that the rebellious nature in you has finally decided to show its face in the hood & what a sight it is.

To each his own, as such is the advice one is given in an untimely fashion when all that you touch shatters like fragile glass. You get shunned like a leper & left to your own devices. Wherever you turn you are seen as a failure, a no-good, a disappointment, a non-achiever, a nobody, well, all these are just branded names & not who you are.

If we let the mindset of those around us make as feel invaluable as they deem us, then we shall be truly destined for ultimate doom. Each time you want to do something, you here somebody say, "sasa uko sure utaweza kweli na vile wewe hushinda ukimess up". This disheartens a number of us because we see ourselves as not amounting to anything.

Who you are is not defined by those around you but by what you think of yourself. Yes, we  all make mistakes & no one is made perfect. For in all our mistakes we are meant to learn and understand that at times mistakes will be made whether intentionally or not. If you are wrong, own up to it & don't let your mistake envelope you in a cloud of guilt.

In this life that we live, everyone gets knocked down but not everyone bounces back. You need to keep moving forward and take that big leap forward without hesitation or looking back. Sometimes it is through the wrong choices that we make that we end up in the right place. 

THE UNSTOPPABLE FORCE WITHIN.

Morning, (I didn't want to say good morning & yet I don't know if you woke up on you right or left side). Anyway I do hope that you are well & embracing the new day which holds untapped opportunities. It is quite interesting to note that each day we wake up with great expectation of overcoming the gruesome hurdles of life. 

Such is the path upon which our daily survival in the so called cruel & harsh world has come to. Survival indeed is for the fittest, you are either on your feet ready for combat or on your knees begging for mercy.  Just take a minute or two & reflect on the far that you have come and you will realize that you are not where you used to be & you need to appreciate that. 

As I usually tell myself, "throw me to the wolves & I will come back leading the pack". Each moment that we get to witness the fulfilment of our dreams, enables us to form a thick layer that shields us from the destructive & demeaning view of others in our lives & around us. If you decide to begin something you better make sure that you will end it.

We all want to be the top dogs in life, doors just opening for us, bank account always fattening, the fancy cars, huge mansions. That is all good & dandy but to get there you need to shed of that cowardice suit of "I can't make it, it is impossible, I think so and so can do it better". Once that is gone then the impossible becomes the possible.

No one is ever born rich or successful, you have to have the guts to get to the glory. Whatever you are going through in life has not come to stay but it shall come to pass. You must have patience and consistent actions. Having passion in all you do will get you to that height that you desire and deserve. Once you activate the inner flame then you can become a fire storm.

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL.

"Ni ya leo, bei ya jioni, mbao tu! Niaje brathe utachukua moja, siste na wewe je, hizi chuja ndio zimeingia saa hii!" These are the words that pierce the busy streets of Nairobi as you walk by to your various destinations. Everyone is trying to hussle & make that the coin. Well, that is just but the icing of the day, in the evening or in the wee hours of the morning while you are in traffic, you will hear a gentle tap on the window near you.

Looking you see a young man or woman, smiling affectionately & offering to hawk his or her wares to you, "nikuuzie nini leo, niko na maji ya kunywa, ndizi, PK, tropicals sema tu nitakuzia". Your first instinct would be to snob him & shut the window closed pretending you didn't hear a word. He or she won't give up they will still try again. What you don't get is that your acts though rude won't dampen his or her spirit.

Lucky are you, for you have a job to go to & earn your pay, but for him or her right there is his or her bread and butter. Anyway I don't want to bore you with this tiny facts, I can see you want me to get straight to the point. Well then here it is, most of those who are around you are struggling to make it in life & leave a mark of happiness in their wake. For example the person who sales to you that ice cream cone in the streets, do you think he gets to eat it?

Don't look at me, I don't know am just asking! Yet each time you approach, him or her always has a welcoming smile as they sell you a delicious, mouth watering cone of goodness to help cool off the hot sunny days. Now, think back since they are promoting a product that they hardly touch, do they ever get a little piece of paradise for their sake. Am sure you wouldn't know because you are always out there trying to make it for yourself.

As you live your blissful life, know that not every body who looks happy is happy. They just have a way of masking how they feel inside and put on a façade masking despair. Each day to them is a struggle, as they try to make ends meet. You don't have to buy that which is been sold to you but you can be courteous enough to say, "asante sitanunua leo, pengine siku ingine" & not howling like a mad man in a market cussing them out.

UNWRAP YOUR INFINITE GREATNESS.

Who am I Lord but just a mere man standing in awe of all the wonders that lay before my very eyes. Each & every moment a most precious gift like no other & the very sight of each day as glorious as the next. Let me ask you, when was the last time you prayed before beginning your day? Am guessing from the guilty look on your face, the thought had not crossed your mind. Fear not, we can still salvage the situation for it is not too late yet.

Lets just take a minute & bow our heads. "Our everlasting Father up in heaven & the creator of the universe, we humbly come before you with thanks giving in our hearts. We come not to ask anything from you Lord but to say thank you for the very life we have, for it is not our will but by your will that we have seen yet another day. Thank you Lord for the far you have brought us.We pray this believing & trusting in your Holy name, Amen!!!"

Now back to the matter at hand. Who are you ? or simply put who am I? Well for starters, we are a chosen generation, destined for the ultimate greatness within us. We reside in a world where our every action carries with it a reaction. I have come to realise that most of us doubt ourselves so much and hardly think of ourselves ever making it past the point we are at right now in life & just been content with where we are.

Well, that does not work for me & it is unacceptable, who told you that just because the vehicle has broken down you can't go on with your journey? This habit of limiting ourselves will surely be the end of us. We see those who are around us rise in the ranks, escalating up the ladder of success & there we are wondering, "what is it that am not doing right?" Well for one you need to realise that what you confess is what you profess. 

Let the words that come out of your mouth build you and not destroy, for the tongue is the most deadliest of weapons known on earth. it can either build or destroy. Having said that, I need you to read this piece I read somewhere, to some it will be familiar, the reason being that it was in one of the scenes in the film Coach Carter. 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone & as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others".

EASY IS NOT AN OPTION.

Over the weekend, I had some me time (just a bit of quiet alone time) to reflect on how the gears of the clock of life work. I gazed at the far off horizon, admiring the greenness of the fertile land, wondering why is life so damn hard with every step I take towards living my dreams. "Kweli hili gurudumu la maisha tutalisikuma".

No wonder am balding so fast with all this thinking, calculating, strategising & trying to ensure that I have a bright & well grounded future. Eiiish & the way 'saa hii niko kwa shamba la mawe'. Making it in this life has become like the battle of the Titans, nothing is coming easy but what can I do but hold on to the little strength I have & forge forth.

No worries, I have not yet lost my mind but come to think of it, is there really any sanity left in each of us in the way we are been bombard by the harsh reality of life & been drained of every ounce of energy within us. All in all am thankful for seeing each new day, for the breath of life is such a precious gift. 

I was fortunate enough to get some inspiration from the Scripture (the 66 book love letter), reading Philippians 4:13 it is written, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". That right there is like a power bank fully charging your ummf, which got me thinking what if we could brave the tough times, am sure we would emerge on top though scathed but nonetheless victorious.

How we let our circumstances deter the path upon which our fate lies. Look, I don't know what you have been through to get to where you are right now, but what I do know is your future is in your hands & not in the world's. Just because something is not happening for you right now does not mean that it will never happen.

You need to have the patience & strength to overcome all obstacles that may pop up in your life. You can always take the easy way out & give up, but know this that real strength comes when you decide to keep on pushing no matter what your circumstances are. It does not matter whether you fall, how hard you fall, how many times you fall: what matters is whether you got back up.

BEYOND MY REACH.

Damn this sun is too hot, what the heck! It is like as if there are two suns out on a revenge mission with no mercy & taking no prisoners, just laying to waste all that is within its flaming rays. Dust is all over you can't even maintain a shine on you shoes, which end up looking like as if you work at a quarry & to top it all, you have to continuously take a sip of cold water to cool your body temperature. 

Arrrgh! This has just become another January of sorts with the scorching sun reaching its all time high. Hi there! How is the going? (Don't mind my venting it is this heat unleashing this verbal useless utterances). Any breakthroughs during the week so far? Nothing huuh! No worries, don't just throw in the towel yet, a greatness is upon you. As I was in a bus today in the morning, I was just amazed at the number of motor vehicles on the road both old & new.

The fancy new models intrigued me the most. I saw a fleet of the latest auto-mobiles and I was like, "Kwani ni  wapi watu wanapewa hizi magari hata mimi niende nikachukue yangu?". Everywhere I turned a beautiful mean road machine was just vrooming by. I recall when we were young and we used to count cars as they passed by, jibbing at each other saying, "hiyo ni yangu".

Such were the childish whims we had back then as our imagination ran wild & free, but now under the dawning of reality we must strive to earn that which we desire, one way or another. Knowing that the best way for one to predict his or her future is by creating it. Life has become quite unpredictable & the demands (wuuuuwiii) have sky rocketed to the roofs.

We are at times, envious of those around us & wish to have that which they possess. Which is not a bad motivation but come on! Shouldn't we have our own legacy in which we are known by & not be identified as being under the shadow of another. Anyway you know that which you desire in life, for to be the best you have to become better than the rest.

If you want to achieve greatness, test yourself through the good & bad times. No one is a loser, if you want to own your own empire you better learn to dig the dirt. Challenges are what make life interesting & overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. You need to know that the only thing that stands between you & your dream is the will to try & the belief that it is actually possible.

One of the philosophies that I think is crucial is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment. No road is too long for the one who advances slowly and does not hurry & no attainment is beyond ones reach who equips themselves with patience to achieve it.