In my days as a child, birth would place me fourth in a family of five. In the house of Eric -baby son of the agricultural legendary John Rator. In the arms of a woman, Priscilla, inarguably the first of her kind I ever set my eyes on. A few encounters with Ester, the no nonsense grandma, gave us bananas on every visit.
In my days of primary school, traversing the ever wet dewy mornings of renowned Kenya highlands; newly created Bomet County,sneaking out of school before time, hung out with Alpine -the fat boy who thought every bell was lunch time, boys’ supremacy fights out of school; immediate truce, friendly sliding through mud downstream.
In my days in the land of milk tea every morning, milk, maize and beans in midday and later ugali, sukuma wiki and again milk-without which a meal is incomplete. Ate chapati and mandazi for occasional visitors’ days; colored rice for Christmas, and when are the tea bonuses so as to taste meat?
In my days of no serious philosophical discussions with my father, only a few words of endearment; manyun, because I was probably his favorite -he still calls me so. Day to day moral and spiritual tutorials by mother -she still does.
In my days with my siblings, shared less with my elder two sisters; yearned for their school visiting days to ‘taste’ chapatti and three top juice, brotherly fights with my only elder brother; felt proud of his “touch my brother again and you will see” in school, tree climbing with baby sister every evening.
In my days herding in the downstream ranches, common phrases like “your cows invaded my farm and your mother must hear of this” and “wait until your father comes home; you are going to be in trouble”. In my days with Jimmy, my faithful dog friend -usually came to my rescue when mother is ‘working on me’, whose dog is fierce fights with village boys.
In my days of Sunday school every Sunday morning, father’s day for ‘fellowship’ with fellow wazee under tree or nearby shopping center, and “come home early, take care of home mother is going to church.”
In my days of secondary school, daily visits to the staffroom for all the wrong reasons, caned by inarguably every teacher, twice sent home for indiscipline, fancied outings, great debater, moments of football fanaticism; sneaking out of school to pay and watch foreign players make millions in 90 minutes, engaged in every mysterious deeds of the 90s kids, transformed the final year, passed and bragged to have survived high school.
In my days in the University, went back to the drawing board and realized “life is what you make it”, accorded my first leadership roles here, made friends, inspired people, was mentored and reciprocated, made mistakes and learnt from them, discovered myself and planned for the future.
My once hesitant, questionable and now confident and exemplary character makes me so promising, playing a significant role in the lives of my siblings, friends, mentees, church, community and proud parents….and most importantly dreaming to become a great leader in the country someday.
