Making Something of Ourselves

My brother Paddy was hailed as bright and brilliant while I was derided as dull and dumb when we were growing up in the '90s. Somehow, I managed to overcome those labels and scored an 'A' of 82 points in my KCSE exams, just like Paddy did in his. I got six 'A's and two 'A-'s in the exams.

Impressed by my KCSE results, Dad commended me for making my family proud and bought me a quality polo shirt as a reward. And he later on said that my KCSE results were more impressive than Paddy's, probably because all my grades started with an 'A' while Paddy got a 'B+' in English.

Because I scored an 'A' of 82 points like Paddy, I had the same opportunity to pursue medicine & surgery at the University of Nairobi (UoN) as him. Actually, that's the course my parents wanted me to study but I chose to pursue electronic & computer engineering at JKUAT.

Unlike Paddy who threw himself into his medical degree like a man possessed, I didn't concentrate on my engineering degree that much. During my first year at JKUAT, I spent a considerable amount of time applying to four top American colleges, something that kept me from giving the engineering course the attention it deserved.

After we broke for long holidays in December 2007, I didn't touch any engineering book. Instead, I devoured biographies and history books. I especially enjoyed reading about the history of America where I hoped to acquire my undergraduate degree.

Several weeks after reporting back to JKUAT in May 2008 for my second year following my failure to make the cut at any of the four American colleges I had applied for admission, I began skipping classes. When JKUAT was closed in August 2008 due to a students' riot, I slept in the university fields and in Nairobi instead of going home. Eventually, I dropped out of JKUAT in 2009.

One evening in 2010 when I was at home helping my parents in domestic chores, Paddy came after UoN was closed due to a students' riot. Seeing my parents welcome him warmly reminded me of the time in 2008 when JKUAT was also closed. And when I remembered how I slept in JKUAT fields and in Nairobi instead of coming home, I felt like ... well, I can't remember how I felt.

Paddy was not only more focused than me during our university years, he was also more mature given that he came home that time UoN was closed. And had I applied myself in my engineering degree the way he did in his medical degree (and the engineering degree was as tough as medicine & surgery), maybe I would have made something of myself.

But then again, the engineering course was not my cup of tea. With time, I discovered my passions lay in music, writing and public speaking. Happily, I acquired the skills that enabled me to set up this monetized blog where I share my songs, stories and speeches. That's how I am making something of myself. How about you, my beloved reader?

*******************
RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on learning to like ourselves, you might also enjoy another one on "Keeping Hope Alive".