MY LONGER LASTING BATTERY: A LETTER TO MY MAMA

I Will Forever Appreciate You Mother, Read to know why   By      wilsonmanyuira(wilsonmanyuira@yahoo.com) hi,       Do not be indignant with me. If you get this long overdue letter, please make sure I know. Its not my fault, but rather because you never left any address behind. I had to consider how this letter will reach you and after extensive debating, I settled for a newspaper. Though you never read papers while living here, I argued the name may ring some meaning to stewards there. Maybe Daily nation is sold there too.         I can’t really tell the impression you left with, about me. Was it that of an ungrateful fellow or someone who takes too long to mature? Perhaps you thought I was scornful of everything and didn’t bother to appreciate you’re efforts. No, not at all! Its not that I didn’t appreciate but rather I didn’t know the art of doing so. After reading the whole letter I believe you’ll have the heart to forgive me for my indifference.       Mama, I know that I am not a scarecrow but rather a human being. I understand that were it not for you, my-self-will probably be a scarecrow in someone’s garden. The are NO words that can show gratitude for those nine months. I can imagine the pain you carried along during that period that will forever stick in your mind, I need not to be told the things you gave up for me. The dreams you forego and the sacrifices you made. Perhaps you had a career path that you wanted to advance; maybe you adored the all-girls coffee party- where you jabbed all night about your boyfriends and so on.Even more painful you were left with both an emotional and physical scar. What about the terror of wails I unleashed in the middle of the night-the only time my “selfish” me had left for you and papa. For sure, the emotional scar compelled you to abandon whatever the comfort and come to my sacrifice.        Throughout my post-tender age, you were the Mike Tyson of my weaknesses, my Usain Bolt in my tortoise speed, My Oprah Winfrey in life's realities, my Billy Gates when I was broke and my crying shoulder when life pushed me to the wall. They say that destiny and fate are never shaped but I can scream to them you artistically designed mine. I know mama, I have not achieved much but the little I have, is largely due to you.                  You see mama, when you left I was still young and fundamentally prejudiced by peer pressure. I thought it was cool to lie that you’re the P.A (personal assistant) of our Area MP, that you had the same car  the prime minister had imported and many other things that today I feel ashamed to retrace them. That’s why I didn’t tell you of visiting days and even didn’t want you to visit me at college. I foolishly feared I, will be discovered. How can I forget the values and principles you instilled in me mama. I thought going to Sunday school was imprudent. I reasoned it was Lady-like and cowardice when you instructed me not to spend my whole day in ghetto. I even didn’t feel like helping my siblings in home chores. My peers said that the last born was the pearl of the family and thus reviled my elder brother and sister. I vividly remember how she cooked breakfast, washed utensils and did everything while I was outside playing with peers. Mama, at one point I even thought you hated me when you started giving each an every one of us duties while you went out for work. I felt angry that, while my friends jumped up and down from one estate to another, I was busy fetching water. But now I understand why you did all those things. When I remember them I am overwhelmed by an emotional upsurge of love for you. It’s sad that during those moments, I was nowhere in your reach. Whenever I enter my kitchen to cook or warm my meal an instant contentment knocks me because of you. I still exploit the same method you taught me to prepare almost every meal. At the beginning of each semester, I plan for the little crumb of loan that the government lends me. I use almost ¾ of it to pay school fees and the rest for the upkeep. And you know what mum?! I always lead a comfortable life. Yes, I occasionally skip my lunches but that’s nothing. In every semester, I do many things that other student also do and still purchase my pet novel for my library. Mama, there many important and unforgettable things you did for me, but the most vital, is teaching me to share. I hope you’ll remember those days that we rushed to your food stall for lunch. Do you recall you gave me only ¼  of the usual meal and the rest you gave to those school kids who had no money? Then, I rubbished that as scrap but now I know. It’s in that spirit that I diligently save to donate for the hunger stricken people. Were it not for what you did, I would not have skipped some of my necessities to purchase the KENYANS FOR KENYANS T-SHIRT.              Mama, in our community, a saying goes, -iganagwo yari iria yakua( it is praised it had a lot of milk when it has died), I knew my neighbours and friends will scold me for this, and that’s why I decided not to tell them why you were the pearl of my life. Why my life now faced some uncertainty that you are gone. I just kept quiet till the day I thought of writing this letter to you . Needless to say, you used to be the most important woman in my life. Its now easy for me to say you’re the best mother one can ever have. The electrons (brains) you charged me with will forever propel me to the right direction. Those ions (abilities) will keep me moving on. The current (blood) will keep me alive to achieve the dreams I have for you’re grand children. MAYBE IN FUTURE, I WILL ERECT A STATUE-on the land I’ll purchase for our family-TO YOUR HONOUR. That’s why I will sing a song, YOU’RE MY LONGER LASTING BATTERY. YOUR’S TRULY Muuruguo(son in kikuyu)