EVOLVING SOUL

…….and quite frankly, he is putting an indelible mark on me.

This boy is 12. He has such a strong build for this age and thinks like he’s walked on this earth surface before. Some people get this while others don’t, as they voice observations that come off as completely indifferent to a child’s emotions. Despite being younger than some kids in his class, certain teachers will assume he is older. My 13 year old brother (14 next month) went through the same thing in primary school.

Here is why this little man is my new source of inspiration; He started running and was doing so well, but his teacher wrote him off because he apparently wasn’t thin enough. Despite being one of the fastest kids, he didn’t join the primary school team of athletes. He then decided to join the music dance and drama club. He was told he couldn’t dance the traditional dance for this region (runyege), went to music instrumentals and didn’t do well with the adungu (a type of African guitar), tried xylophone but the music teacher didn’t want learners but rather kids who already knew as the schools are gearing on towards inter-school competitions. He is holding out for drama so he can get a role, even if he has a supportive role in the play.

This is not meant to be a rant about how I think the teachers could have gone about these scenarios in completely different ways. It’s rather about a child who is hungry to learn and discover his potential, his talents, explore different possibilities…. He has a spirit that has held out and is being fueled by a desire to traverse the landscape offered to him in the limited space of his rural school.

He is constantly saying, “Not that? Okay, allow me to try this then. ”

My heart is full of pride. I hope his spirit will not waver. I pray that his curiosity shall not be drenched in so much rejection (with little to no nourishment from those charged with teaching and guiding) that he’ll stop searching. May God reward every effort he puts into learning and growing and favour him and all my brothers beyond their wildest imagination in this very uncertain world.