THINKING ABOUT LIFE

I couldn't help it when I saw the tent full of people. I didn't know what to do – cry out openly or just remain sad – but reality kicked in that you were no more. A day before, I climbed that mountain, that mountain we always talked about. The one that we had to go home and get my cows, remember that? That mountain a lot of people in Timbutini knew by heart and not physically, because you have been telling them about it. Today I’m here, the tent is full, and the words are stunning, what they are saying about you. I am deeply hurt though. Since I came home, I have been a stranger. A stranger as if I never knew you. A stranger as if "Alpha and Omega" never existed. You would have seen how empty our home was, but no matter what, I just left to mourn you where I thought you would be with me in spirit. When everything happened, the drama, the strange looks and everything, made me miss you more than you can imagine because I knew you would take me for a drink, just ...

"Behind a mask of a clown, lies a trail of tears". In life, everybody has a story to tell, one way or the other, but people have their own stories. Some might have already shared their stories, others might be scared and decide to keep it to themselves, and others have not yet found the softest spot to share it. Either way, one always has a story to tell. Below is a story of a young man, adopted when he was little, He tells his story in an unpleasant place.  My father often told me that, “behind a clown’s mask lies a trail of tears.” Unfortunately, during my younger years, his saying did not make any sense. I could not grasp the true meaning of the phrase. As I grew up, hearing him saying it again and again, I began to learn the true meaning of it. He went on and said “Son, the world is a stage, so go on and make your own story". Yes, it is true! In prison one has plenty of time to think about what one would have done with their lives. I tell you, one can do anything to ...

Picture courtesy: Toy Ideas I know many people will disagree with me when I say allow your kids to be free, open-minded and to choose their paths in life. Others will ask and say, "how is that possible?". Maybe others will even say "not my kid!" Well, here is the thing, I am not talking about the obvious things that parents, elder siblings or guardians should provide to their kids, like discipline, teaching them to respect others, etc! I am not saying that you should not give directions or guide either, but mbonise – guide them. Everyone makes decisions about their lives, and they need support. That also applies to children. So, before I confuse you, my point is not on the general stuff, but mainly on career choices at a young age. It is important to expose your kid to different career choices at a young age, because this is where they show their strengths and capabilities, likes and dislikes, interests and personalities, etc. Kids can show their talents th...

Just by looking at the above statement, I am sure your mind is trying to bring back some of your memories of your whereabouts on New Year’s Eve, and your heart beats faster knowing that you might regret some of the things you did during those final few hours on the 31 st. . Others might be wishing they could go back to that day and enjoy it all over again because of the enjoyment and happiness they experienced. Well, I am not here to be judgmental on what one did on the midnight of 31 st of December 2022, though it would have been great to hear people’s stories in this regard! The drama, the chaos, the juicy stories, the things one wish they should not have done and all of that, yes, I wish to hear it all. My 2023 began at Sihhohhweni, a place located in the Manzini region, eSwatini/Swaziland. It is a greenly rural area, especially in summer, surrounded by purely beautiful green mountains. One of those mountains is the famous Mdzimba mountain. This is a community where farmi...

Now that I’ve got your full attention, I know you’re asking yourself how a window helped me get my freedom. Well, it is not what you may be thinking, but actually something slightly different, something more dramatic than it sounds. It is what it is! My siblings and I were raised by a single mother, a primary school teacher. My mother taught the first grade, while my siblings attended various upper classes in the same school. At 4-years-old, I was too young to go to school. Since my mother and siblings all went to school, I was often left behind in the house, just one of the few in the teachers’ quarters next to the school. I would be all alone in the house, spending most of my time watching TV, playing different games – that ended up boring the childhood life out of me – and sleeping. It may seem disturbing, but I was not a chaotic child. I guess that’s why my mother trusted me to the extent of leaving me all alone in the house. During break time though, my elder sister would...

I couldn't believe it when I got an email about a very important meeting I had to attend in the city of high-rise buildings and notoriety. It was my first time attending any meeting. What made this meeting interesting was because it was in the city. See, being from the rural areas, you feel like you have made it in life when you are travelling to the city. So, I woke up early, prepared myself and took the early morning bus. Although the meeting was in the afternoon hours, I wanted to arrive early. I’ve always told myself that if you want to make a good impression, best be early . As I was arriving in the meeting venue, I noticed that the building I was in was very tall, just like the ones I saw since I arrived. I didn't know whether to knock on the big door or what, but I was so confused on what to do. "I don't want to embarrass myself, let me wait a bit, maybe someone will come out", I said silently pretending to be busy with my phone. In a few minutes, a...

  Sometimes I do believe people who claim there’s a sixth sense in every human being. Apparently, this is the sense that usually warns a person if something bad is happening or about to happen, which is why it is important to listen to it at all times. Unfortunately, if I have this 6 th sense in me, my sixth sense never warned me when I needed it the most. Growing up as a tomboy in the rural areas was one of the most challenging experiences for me during my teenage years. Although some people understood me, many couldn't. I was always bothered by what society thought of me. My dress code and association with boys gave everybody a different perspective of me. With the passage of time, I began to not care about it! It was either I lived my life the way I wanted and be happy or live how I was expected by people and be unhappy. And so, I chose me! Some people would call me names, but I was not bothered much because I knew who I was. They did not have the right to know why I of...