A Hero's Legacy

I have lost a great friend in the last week, but to live in our hearts is not to die.

The kind of person whom you can stand to defend in any accusation for you know he is socially 

upright. He was a kind hearted man whose decision to do the right thing would never be dwindlled 

by  anyone or anything. He would hold your hand when you are walking in the right path

and drop it when you take the wrong one. A man of few words, he would probably not caution you 

but let you watch him do the right and be inspired. He was not the type that took defeat lightly.He 

believed in winning. 

When I heard of his demise, I wanted to question God so much, why this young man? A soul so 

pure. Its exactly, that; a pure soul. I know he has seen God, blessed are they!!  I went

to say my final kwaheris, knowing how bad I am with good byes even these common ones, this one 

was  the hardest , thought I would cry myself to a headache. Instead I found my lips curving 

amidst the two streams of joy from my eyes. I did not know his good cheer and a 

charming personality had been spread to everyone around him. Many are praised when they die, but

this hero's life blew his trumpet.

His primary school teachers talked of a little boy who brought a small trophy to school so that pupils 

in the lower classes who previously did not value competition, would be inspired to aim higher and

win the trophy. This trophy is still there under his name and children work hard to get it. A memorial 

library will be put in that school in his name. Legacy!!

This made ponder about life. At what point do we exit? At what point are we ready to hand over the 

mantle? I thought about me. Do I live a selfless or a selfish life?

I counted the acts of kindness that I have done this year and the count would not measure up to the 

number of my toes. I thought I needed to live my life in a way that it touches more people or the 

little I touch, that it has a more positive impact.  I know a few people who can attribute a smile to 

something i have done for them, but it will never be enough. The feeling afterwards is so rewarding, 

i can only imagine how  fulfilling my friend's life must have been.

 Speeches were short and summarized in one phrase; "You all knew him, there is nothing to add." 

This was an good open book that everyone would read. A short book, written in the best form. A 

poetry of life with success being the rhyming word. Competition  was the bridge and Achievement 

the title. Being a Leutenant at the tender age of 25 is just one of the many ways in which my friend 

lived a life that defined success. This is a milestone that many would cower to achieve. He has at this 

tender age, fought the terror enemy for our country's sake and won a Shujaa medal in the same. He 

said at one point during the Linda Nchi operation "I will be the first to land, and the last to leave, I 

will take you back home, dead or alive. " 

I repent saying that our armed forces do not work. If we are overpowered by the enemy, it does not 

mean we have lost the battle.

Lets put passion in the little things we do in life, for one day, some one will look at them and realise 

how big a heart we had. Lets make peace with all humanity and our creator. 

Lets love unconditionally and give selflessly. Lets spread some cheer and make the world a better 

place. Il start with the girl in the mirror.

I have seen a life well lived, I have been friends with an angel who lived long enough to be a hero.

This may be a mantle too  heavy on my shoulders so i beg not to take it, but Il adjoin my dimming 

candle to yours, to taste the flame you kept ever blazing. That my candle may burn brighter, maybe

 not as bright as yours but whenever, it seems to dim, I now have an inspiration. 

Il carry my candle much higher and run to the darkness, light the world for all to see so that your 

legacy will live on.

You came, you loved and you conquered.

RIP Charles

The Burning Bum

Happy Mothers day to all mums and mums to be

I have had this story in my head the whole week. Tried writing it even, but I stopped in the middle. I have had one of those weeks. Whats the feeling you get after two consecutive awesome weekends and just don’t want to accept its all over? Hangover? I was sober though, so nostalgia? I don’t know. Lil man turned 1, in a big way. Exactly the way I had pictured it. I can finally tick that off ,my “to-do” list. Yeaaay!! Glory to God. Many thanks to the main man, and all who came over. My cousin Grace found herself a good man. Good enough to bring the goats to us. That was yet another eventful weekend. TGIF il spend this one adjusting my mind back to the norm. The norm already started coming to me though J. We went shoe shopping last week. When I say we, I mean with my gal, the usual gal. The one and only. There was a shoe sale at Clarks and Sketchers. I love shoe shopping, this particular one made me want to ask for a pay rise in the mall hahaha is it legal?!! Like, “ you know if I earned 20% higher than what I do, I think id grab that second pair” J. It will never be that easy, a girl can wish.The struggle is real, but then again, this is clacks baibe!! Talking of shoes, I tortured a pair of my blue heels on Tuesday as well as my feet. Well not me directly, it was just a bad evening. A crazy traffic snarl caused me to walk home. Almost two kilometers from the house I think, but  probably not. I read somewhere that one is born with the maths gene. I gave the hugest grin....i know what gene i do not have now!! So lets just play safe and say, it was just a long distance.  It was raining and wed stopped for almost an hour. Walking was the only option. We were many, and we  chit chat to make it shorter. As usual, I made a friend. This time a matatu driver, he narrated about the blast, we hoped for the peace.   On reaching home, no lights, on our floor. The rain has messed up some connection. This translates to a cold shower the next day, no TV today and I could not even think of a cold night shower so that was off the list. Ooooh ironing, am sort of happy I wont have to. As I choose what well suits a blackout by being crease free, I carefully place the candle on a convenient place. I did not notice how close it was to the clothes on the hangers. Or I did, and was too tired to do the math about the danger. A little diversion, fire must be haunting me. Shidwe!! So on the birth day, the active girl in me was on a row. I was “all over” (as main man puts it). So I bend to attend to some stew in front of me not noticing that my cousin Grace had put a jiko right behind me. I feel the temperature behind me rise, we crack a joke about me burning my bum as I bent with the jiko blaring behind me. We had not even laughed about it before I felt my behind get hot !! I had a fiery behind!! Had the visitors arrived while this was happening, id have very unwillingly and effortlessly stolen the show. I ran all over shouting and trying to pat my now very hot behind. Grace poured loads of water on me. Luckily, only the clothes caught fire. This boy has a bright and hot future ahead. I still keep the lesso that went up in flames. Alongside, i keep the memories of the echos of laughter that filed the kitchen after the brief show. Back ironing, nothing burnt!! I only had a cold shower and a candle lit smell the next day.