Lessons From High School
TODAY I have been thinking about my experiences in high school.Mangu was a great experience I got to live the life that states that 'no one is a child of a lesser god' and how one treats others shapes this life. Mangu had people from all walks of life and teachers of all kinds. I know that my KCPE marks (350 out of 700) were not enough to get me to Mangu but later I realised the importance of examining the bigger picture, which provides for the occasional necessary evil and that everyone deserves an equal chance. No one ever ought to be underated just because of the steriotypical thinking of society.
NATURALLY, and given my modest grades, it was difficult to fit in within one of the most prestigious institutions in Kenya .One only needs to look at the history as well as the present positions that ex Mangu Men hold in order to understands the formidable contribution Mangu makes to the society. No matter how much I tried, I was always last, helpless and designated an intellectual dwarf amongst the country's finest brains.
STILL, with the help of the school's then basketball coach, I discovered one very legitimate way in which I could beat all the 'A 'students. I played basketball and loved it with a passion.Each time I met the so called 'brains of the country' on the basketball court, one thing became clear,I would emerge the best and this became one way in which I could walk with my head up high. Because of basketball, I travelled to places in Kenya that I had only heard of whilst watching the weather forecast. I also got to travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe and other places that I had only previously seen on the Atlas Map.
THE GAME of basketball taught me the heartfelt pain one can go through in the aftermath of a great loss.I will never forget the 1996 Basketball finals held in Kakamega when we lost to our rivals Aquinas. Despite the fact that I was not part of the team that year, I had joined them as they trained very hard for this particular game.In the end, just like us, Aquinas lost, cried and wept after they too had lost to Mombasa Baptist in the final game. This period introduced me to the harsh realities of this world, that it is not the best that necessarily wins.Just like love, being the best is not enough. One has to be in harmoy with nature.But, there were other lessons.
DESPITE Mangu's prestigious status, there was a clear class and tribal struggle and the system was full of intellectual patronage. This is why all that survived the Mangu experience have something special to give, they acquire this unique status. When you brush shoulders with people from all walks of life, all you can do is learn a lot.But learning is only one thing and living the lessons as well as adapting to what life has to offer, in given contexts, remains the ultimate challenge.
NATURALLY, and given my modest grades, it was difficult to fit in within one of the most prestigious institutions in Kenya .One only needs to look at the history as well as the present positions that ex Mangu Men hold in order to understands the formidable contribution Mangu makes to the society. No matter how much I tried, I was always last, helpless and designated an intellectual dwarf amongst the country's finest brains.
STILL, with the help of the school's then basketball coach, I discovered one very legitimate way in which I could beat all the 'A 'students. I played basketball and loved it with a passion.Each time I met the so called 'brains of the country' on the basketball court, one thing became clear,I would emerge the best and this became one way in which I could walk with my head up high. Because of basketball, I travelled to places in Kenya that I had only heard of whilst watching the weather forecast. I also got to travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe and other places that I had only previously seen on the Atlas Map.
THE GAME of basketball taught me the heartfelt pain one can go through in the aftermath of a great loss.I will never forget the 1996 Basketball finals held in Kakamega when we lost to our rivals Aquinas. Despite the fact that I was not part of the team that year, I had joined them as they trained very hard for this particular game.In the end, just like us, Aquinas lost, cried and wept after they too had lost to Mombasa Baptist in the final game. This period introduced me to the harsh realities of this world, that it is not the best that necessarily wins.Just like love, being the best is not enough. One has to be in harmoy with nature.But, there were other lessons.
DESPITE Mangu's prestigious status, there was a clear class and tribal struggle and the system was full of intellectual patronage. This is why all that survived the Mangu experience have something special to give, they acquire this unique status. When you brush shoulders with people from all walks of life, all you can do is learn a lot.But learning is only one thing and living the lessons as well as adapting to what life has to offer, in given contexts, remains the ultimate challenge.
posted by NG'ETHU STAR at 3:42 PM
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