Words of wisdom

As a young boy I heard the wise men said this and said that, and everytime you think of saying something geeky but yet cool at the same time they are the very same people you quote but have you ever stopped and wondered how wise were they to a point they got that title? Socrates said “knowing is to know that you know nothing, that is the meaning of true knowledge and I wondered so what do I actually know. Were the wise men really that smart, after some thought I decided not to take away that title from them but instead I think I prefer calling them the masters of contradictions.

How come they said that it’s the little things in life that matter and we end up assuming the bigger things people do for us taking them for granted or considering them irrelevant. For instance a man pampers his girlfriend, treats her like a queen for 364 ¼ days a year and on that one remaining day so as complete the cycle of the year he is too busy or broke to take her out for valentines, is the lady allowed to be angry at him or is he supposed to get off the hook since the all the other times he was there the knight in shining armour. But what really happens is that the situation escalates turning into a very hot cold war, she builds barricades and is furiously mad at him for the next month forgetting the good times.

They again said that the best things in life are free while we live in a world where money is everything. Money makes the world go round dear old wise men. To prove my point let’s just try counting all the things that someone is able to access free of charge in this modern society of ours; air, water. No water doesn’t fall into the category. Gone are the days one would go down to the stream stoop over and scoop some water to drink. All the water in the rivers seems contaminated and the remaining bit of it is being packed and sold with brands such as Vose, Dasani, Waba and even Kanyari’s holy water. So what free things now remain? Love maybe, people find all amazing ways of expressing it but none knows how to describe it so it’s true when they say love is complex. True love, does this exist or is it just a theory, are all relationships strategic and love isn’t in this equation or its just the excuse people use so as to get close to others. Nowadays most men and women position themselves in relationships where they only seek spouses who are viable candidates to ensure their material well being. Where are the old good days where a boy saw a girl and she would smile as her eyelashes crushed against each other as she tried avoiding direct eye contact as she strolled and the boy would have that tingling feeling all over his stomach; butterflies they were called. She was so in control that she left him both breathless and speechless at the same time. He would escort her with his eyes until she vanished into the thin air and he would now walk back home cursing for his lack of courage, then the chase would begin. In this new era where you suspect she doesn’t love you and you are only a convenience, a means to an end, you have this feeling in your gut that she wants to trap you so you try to act fast so as to reciprocate the favour hoping the hunter will become the hunted. The conclusion attained is that love also comes at a price so neither is it free. But as I try to wrap this concept around my head, the radio is on and a song by Blackstreet, a classic tune I used to hear as a young boy is currently playing;

“Buy me love

Money can’t buy me love

Buy me love

Money can’t buy me love”

As earlier said love is complex isn’t it. We have now confirmed the only free thing we have is the air we breathe and we should pray it remains that way. Hopefully someone doesn’t come up with the next big idea of how to pack it and begin selling it or they start taxing us everytime we breath.

About a year ago I volunteered and for our community mobilization we decided to wear traditional attire as a way of showing the community members we were trying to embrace their culture. On this particular day I was wearing the chief’s cloth and as I was walking an old man called sent for me and I answered to his call. On arrival I found him seated on a dried up tree trunk near bodaboda cyclists, he first scrutinized me from head to toe and asked me, “are you a wise man?”. I wanted to hastily say yes, but then I decided to think my answer through since I wasn’t sure whether it was a trick question but then my friend jumped to my defence and said yes. The old man had an expression which I have never figured out until today, he half sneered and half smiled and went back to talking with his friends and as I took my leave. The old man’s character left me angry if I may say and wondered was this old man himself wise to ask that question. But the bigger question remains what does one do to be considered wise?

 

To be continued………