Happiness is fleeting because it needs an external event to trigger. Joy is everlasting because it is a state of being. An attitude of mind. It requires nothing from the eternal world.
Fill yourself with your own dreams, passion, and goals. Develop your own sense of purpose. Make yourself whole. You can love others truly when you learn to love yourself fully.
"Kijana wangu, pendelea kuvaa vitu vyenye rangi ya shaba. Huondoa mauchafu yote ambayo mtu anaweza kukuwekea."
Niliketi vizuri, nikijua hapa napata elimu ya dunia ambayo vitabu havifundishi. Nikasubiri aendelee, na hakusita.
"Rangi ya gold inapendwa na mauchafu," akaongeza.
"Yaani hata majini wanapenda kutoa dhahabu, ila si almasi. Almasi ni adui wa uchafu mwingi sana."
Nilibaki kimya, nikimkazia macho. Nilijua hayakuwa maneno ya kawaida.
"Ukinunua kidani, nunua cha rangi ya shaba. Hicho kina nguvu ya kuondoa mizizi ya mabaya. Watu wengi hawajui, wanakimbilia dhahabu kwa sababu ya fahari, lakini hawajui madhara yake."
Nikasonya kidogo. Sikuwahi kuifikiria dhahabu kama kitu kingine zaidi ya thamani na mapambo.
Lakini mzee huyu ananifundisha mtazamo mpya, mtazamo wa roho.
Alichukua muda mfupi, kisha akaendelea.
"Unaona vile vikuku vya chuma wanavyouza Wamasai? Unajiuliza kwa nini watu wengi wanavipenda? Na kwa nini Wamasai hawapendi kuuza vitu vya rangi ya dhahabu?"
Sikuwahi kulifikiria hilo. Kila mahali unawaona Wamasai wakitembeza vikuku, mikufu na bangili zao za shaba na chuma nyeusi. Dhahabu? Hapana.
"Wanajua haya mambo," mzee aliendelea.
Old architecture appears to me like it was made by a different people that we didn't inherit anything from. An altogether different mindset. There is no bridging between the two. I can't be the only one who finds this odd.