Like many in the US, we Kenyans are still swirling the phrase ‘yes we can’ in our heads, hoping that after the euphoria of Barack Obama’s win has waned off, it will leave a strong enough aftertaste to actually move us to take our chances like so many remarkable people whose skins have color; may it be black, brown, white, pink, magenta or in between, have done. Of course, Obama’s victory is an inspiration that many people needed to feel at this point in the history of the world and I welcome it.
With Obama’s win, America has proven itself yet again to be the land of opportunity. But whether you reside in a land of such spectacular opportunity or not, we all should be taking the opportunities that are right for us. I am especially talking about the ones that everyone has…the ones that are readily labeled as simple and are easily taken for granted; such as having better and more communication with family, spending some time with youngsters, loving more wholly, getting a better understanding of God, writing whenever you can, appreciating nature in your wonderful country, enjoying your business ventures…such.
Witness the obvious – like the changes in weather - and savor the opportunity to learn something new from it. I understand that in the US, winter is making a strong appearance and I am wondering…how is it like? It reminds me that I have never had the chance to be present when snow is falling. Of course I have seen the phenomenon on TV, but my mind tell me that it is about as exciting as watching a newspaper photo of a slice of pork sizzling on a pan; Where’s the ssshhhhhhhhh sound? Where’s the smell of frying? Where’s the heat from the stove? Where’s the sting of tiny rogue droplets of hot oil that land on the forearm? When I hear that each snow flake is unique in its design and that it falls only at the place where God has meant for it to fall, the anticipation deepens and I wonder if a snow field would be like the picture that I paint in my head of the first morning that manna fell from heaven. I can’t wait to witness that!
Let us all appreciate our lands of opportunities.