Wednesday 22 January 2014

Never be Afraid of Dreaming: Dream, Believe, Do, Repeat.


I remember it was one of those dreaded parents day back in high school and guess it was in my final year. Somehow despite the anxiety and tension this “dreadful” event caused many, I was at ease with myself. Most secondary schools had devised this forum to be one of those parent-student-teacher meet up to spur the seriousness of the final year as we fast approached the final exams later in the year. During such a session it was mandatory to visit every subject teacher with your parent to discuss your progress and set a target you will be working towards. Then afterwards this would culminate in a general meeting with all students, parents and teachers. Though I can’t recall everything that happened this very day, I vividly remember one incidence.

A we approached the desk where my Mathematics teacher, known as Mr. Olongo was eagerly waiting for us to finally sit. Knowingly, we approached just like a bull ready for slaughter approaches the butcher without a clue of what would happen. However, deep down I was at peace with myself (or I think I was). First, mathematics was a subject I dearly loved and secondly, no time I can remember Mr. Olongo and me clashing at all. Our student-teacher relationship was filled with happy memories, to this date, of the so many red ticks I had amassed in my beloved exercise book from the many exercises I had attempted in class. On the contrary, something was always amiss when my exam papers were returned back to us. Oooooh, yes, this was the subject matter of our discussion during that very sitting.

First things first, after a brief introduction we delved into all the mathematical strategy not only to translate my love and passion to good scores but also to ensure I scored that perfect grade in my final high school exam KCSE.  One thing that has stayed with me since that meeting was the mention by Mr. O, that he prophesied that with the passion I had demonstrated in the subject I would be through with my university by the time I was 23 years…………..well this very declaration did not really perturb me more than it has come to haunt me. I remember then unconsciously thinking to myself that if that was to happen, then I would take it to the next level and achieve my master’s degree by the time I was 28 years (well, this thought back then sounded like a fantasy).


Fast forward many years passed and before I could realize myself I was well over 23 years and with no college certificate leave alone university degree (apart from the most famous computer packages). I know many of you are asking, what happened? Did I fail my K.C.S.E? Did I just stop my passion and love for books? Did I get married? Did I fall in a comma? Honestly, I did pass my KCSE and to that extent achieved a grade A in math and believe to this day I scored 100% in Paper 1. Only, life had completely given me a different script belonging to some alien person unknown to me. Yes, I said it; this life had seemed to turn so unfair that by the time I was joining campus most of my fellow classmates were already done with university apart from those who had joined the revered medicine and engineering courses that took them half a dozen years to finish.  This was absolutely the reality that I was facing at the time but somewhere along the chain of my life I managed to turn all the negative energy, feelings, emotions and desperation to something positive which am proud of today.


Wayne Dyer said “Our lives are the sum total of the choices we made” when growing up. When I joined university I purposed to turn all my tears to streams, all my anger to forgiveness, all my bitterness to a smile and all my unaccomplished dreams into visions. I had been through painful moments whether innocently or fully aware of what I was getting myself in. when I glance back at my life I am grateful that I went through such experiences then when, it seemed like my midlife crisis. I appreciate because I learned to be patient while everything was not going as planned, hopeful in the middle of despair, dream even though fully awake, be optimistic while surrounded by pessimists and above all break barriers as if they were made of paper.  Above all I leaned to always trust no man but God alone. He gave me a reason to trust and worship even more.

Some years have passed now and am in awe…………..as I hurriedly write this to try and capture my thoughts, am eagerly looking as the hour hand loses to gravity, the second hand acts like a cheer leader always raising my anticipation. I patiently await the D-day when I prove to myself that my unconscious thoughts, right in the middle of a discussion several years ago has come to fruition, 23rd January 2014, at 11:00 am (UK time) I will be honored with yet another life achievement in my academic calendar. The day I graduate with my MSc with honors. All I can say now is thank you Lord for providing me with opportunities when I needed them not when I wanted them.


How I wish my mum was here with me, we tried but it was not possible, maybe it’s a reason to still do the next one, maybe it is a sigh that years ago you agreed with me, maybe it’s a chance to start all over again. At this point in my life I can testify that the Lord is faithful, I have seen him and what he can do, from providing resources to strength to love to grace, from grass to eucalyptus, from riding a bicycle (black mamba) to flying a plane (Dreamliner).  Yes, he can do that for you too. I have not achieved anything yet or lived His purpose or according to his will but I know He has good plans for my life. Therefore, my family, friends, brothers and sisters, as well as foes, join me as I climb another step in my academic ladder. I take this opportunity to thank my family for their support, my friends for their encouragement, and my enemies for giving me a reason to aspire more and above all GOD for guiding me through this process. Now I look forward to the next thing that is in store for me.

You can catch the live action tomorrow Thursday the 23rd January 2014 from


Lessons I have learned:

1.      Never dismiss any dream that comes your way, after all you might come to see it pass.
2.      Never ever…. ever… ever… give up on anything you have wanted to achieve, it may not pass right away but someday, maybe the right time it will.
3.      Be optimistic about life, positive energy will attract success to you.
4.      Work hard at every opportunity you have this might be the key to unlocking your life’s dreams
5.      Never look back at what you went through with bitterness, forgive where you can, apologize where it is necessary and focus on the finish line because it the determiner of how good or nasty the race has bee.
6.      Finally, be happy and cheerful for your father never sleeps nor shies from lifting you when you have fallen.


© William Murithi 2014

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