Getting grey hair comes with its own
package of expectations. One of the few I have yet to adjust has to do with
women. I guess (and your opinion is most welcome), women find grey hair
attractive; because I cannot understand why an increasing number are hitting on
me these days – which, while flattering can be slightly uncomfortable. Another aspect of greying is a saddening realization of how few role models we have in the society today. Comparing the eulogies of the Late Senator Otieno Kajwang vis-à-vis Prof Wangari Mathai this deficit hits home most sombrely.
Also in the recent spate of undressing
“indecently” dressed women (while we do nothing about men who pee by the
roadside), one realizes how serious the women rights movement today lacks an inspiring
leader(s). To be sure laws and policies that sought to address gender equality and
equity, only codified the perennial Kenyan money-focus problem, rather than address
the problems faced by rank-and-file woman in the society.
I will bet to my last coin that wealth
disparities between women have increased with the enactment of the so called
pro-women policies. Because of the Kenyan focus on “chai” “ugali” and now
“chicken” it was never about gender equity and equality. We may now have a few
rich women, but a great majority will only continue to live in squalor and insecurity.
Sadly no woman with credibility and gravitas is challenging the statuesque –
but this lack of role models is not just limited to the women rights movement.
The Deputy President Mr. William Ruto,
while addressing a gathering in Nairobi asked of Kenyans to be selfless – of
course if the comments on the article from the public are anything to go by,
many felt he is no position to ask of that – YK’92 being his launching pad into politics.
For those tempted to look for exemplary
role models from the ranks of religious leaders – well we all know that is a
money-worshiping crowd. Bishop Rev. Dr. Prof. Kanyari is just the tip of the
iceberg. Listening to others one wonders whether religion is only about
condemnation, judgment and prosperity [for the priest] – it’s never about his
love, kindness and compassion. So unless one is looking from amongst the nuns, it’s
very unlikely to find a global role model in the church/mosque.
It may well be that it’s a generation issue
– we are living in a self-focused and wealth-focused generation. It could be
even be that the very fact that we are writing about it demonstrates a desire for
a different world order. One can only hope that there are people out there who
will begin to bring about more humane and socially orientated societal
organizing. I hope we can encourage the
young to make a mark in the society, not on the basis of the amount of wealth
they are able to accumulate but by how much they contribute to the common good.
These are the real heroes to emulate….
---
On a different note, I recently bought “The
Art of Seduction” – a very interesting book, for a pricey amount – only to
realize that the whole book is available online for free….Not sure why its free
Thanks for your thoughts about success in life, David - and about grey hairs, of which I now have many! There are very false models of success around in the world, secular models, but models which too many Christians and people of other faiths adopt - success in terms of wealth and power, achievement at work or status in people's minds. We all need good role models and the challenging truth is that each of us is called by God to be an exemplar, a good role model in our lives. One of the corrupting effects of the way Christianity is practiced and preached and taught in both Africa and Europe/North America is that it colludes with false models of success. Each one of us has to the best of our ability model a Christianity which is rooted in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, in the Old Testament call to justice and in the New Testament revelation of God's infinite, unconditional love. But given the terrible role models presented by the Church, this is a huge challenge for us.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Colin. Its even better that I read your comment on a Sunday morning. It has provided for me content to reflect on - God's infinite and unconditional love. One of the problems I have, and am sure its not limited to me, is to believe that I am love-able. Today I will reflect on what that means - to be loved; and to be loved infinitely and unconditionally....
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