On the day that Barack Obama was declared the winner of the US presidential election, we were watching the developments with friends at home. We had just watched Obama’s acceptance speech and McCain’s speech for conceding defeat, when the TV station turned its attention to the local reaction to the event. Being that Obama has some Kenyan roots, there were pockets of sporadic celebrations in Nairobi and a huge breakout of festivities in his biological father’s home area.
What caught our attention was a small group of supporters that was captured on camera in Kibera. Kibera is a sprawling slum area that houses some of the poorest people in Nairobi. The happy parade consisted of a band of about 20 men and women. The group was walking slowly in a small dancing procession with the leading man carrying a rainbow flag – I guess for lack of a US flag. Within the group was a man blowing the whistle with as much gusto as his need to breathe in and out could allow him. And then there was a woman carrying a paper egg tray. She was waving the egg tray above her head in a way that a musician might move a tambourine during a live music extravaganza. She was simultaneously ululating loudly and the unadulterated joy that radiated on her face was something to look at. We all agreed that she might have been on her way to the market to fetch eggs for her small business, when she received the news and everything else was forgotten as she plunged into the aliveness of the moment.
When we later had a discussion, we talked about what brings happiness. That was when someone pointed out that despite McCain’s phenomenal endeavor and gallant efforts in the election, despite his dramatic past as a soldiers and his colorful career as a politician in the world’s most recognized country, the woman having a gay old time with the egg tray in Kibera was definitely happier at that moment. Life has a way of showing us that which can bring out the most happiness from inside of us. And if we allow it to show us, we rise above class, race, religion, gender and transcend all our present circumstances to create an orchestra even without a single musical instrument.