* college = university
I have a very close, elderly friend, whose story I’m going to share a little.
About 13 years ago, while he was in college, he would come to our house just to pay visits and sometimes watch us while my parents weren’t around.
We (my siblings and I) loved him dearly because he would tell us stories of things that happened in the village, things that happened in college and even bible stories, sometimes adding his own twists to make it sound more interesting.
Every now and then he would say, “Sira, when would you even get into a university? I think in the year two thousand-and-something. It seems like that will be in forever.” I would laugh and tell him, “I just hope Jesus hasn’t come by that time.”
One story he was very particular about was, how he imagined his future to be – he would always say, “Sira, don’t worry, by the time you’re in college, I would be rich. I would have a beautiful wife, I would have a big house with a large swimming pool where my kids and you guys would spend the weekends.” These were the things he made us hope for, so my siblings and I would always pray that God helped him finish college faster.
My brother and I even started our own version of what our “future houses” would look like. A very important feature of our “future houses” was the “sink where citrus juice ran through the taps.”
He finished college, by that time, I was busy trying to pass exams, trying to make my life meaningful, my brother was also doing the school process. We all forgot about the swimming pools.
One fateful day, news came that he was getting married, then I got news that his wife gave birth, and gave birth again. In other words, he was living a normal life. Nothing extraordinary.
I would always think back and wonder if he remembers the stories he told us. Those stories have helped me make decisions, because an have an idea of what I want my future to look like.
I don’t want to wake up one morning, and discover I am 40 years old with NOTHING to show that I live on this earth.
I don’t want to finish college and get a job and get married and have children and settle family disputes and watch my children grow and then die.
There has to be something more to life than that. There has to be. I haven’t found it yet, but I’m going keep searching [and please don’t tell me its love that I’m searching for]. I refuse to conform to the norms of society. Normalcy should be a thing of the past, especially if you’re a woman.
Let’s all be different and never let our dreams die. He let his dreams go, he believed they were unattainable, now he’s just a passenger in the ship of life, sailing through the troubled seas of this world.
We need to have visions!
Do you think you’re satisfied with the way your life is and why?
OGONISIRA 