Lessons I Learnt From Books

Calvin Morekwa (yes, the young man in the photo above) was a primary school classmate of mine at Kunoni Educational Centre. He was such a bright fellow. It was as if position one of our Standard Eight class was reserved for him because no matter how intensively the rest of us studied, he still topped the class. And he topped right from the first test we did in Standard Eight till the final national primary school exams known as KCPE.

Perhaps due to his brilliance in grasping our studies, I admired the way Morekwa walked. To put it humorously, I would say he walked in capital letters. So much did I admire his walking style that I would later on try to imitate it when I was in high school.

And I also liked the way Morekwa laughed during one happy chance. For this one, I would say he laughed in italicized letters. Imagine I would later on visualize myself laughing in a similar manner.

I haven't seen Morekwa in more than a decade but I am glad we are friends on Facebook where I extracted the photo of him above. And I like the way he looks calm, clean and composed in the photo as well as the way he is surrounded by neat-looking books.

Like me, Morekwa is a lover of books. Yes, I love books; so much that I always feel better in the presence of a book. If you are an attractive young lady in secret love with me and you wish to win me as a husband, let me tell you a secret of achieving that: just buy me books as gifts!

And because I love books, I thought it wise to share with you, my beloved reader, about some of the books I have read and the lessons I have gleaned from them. Here they are:

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey: I had always wished to read this book since I read its introductory pages earlier on in this decade at the Kenya National Library in Nairobi. So much did I wish to read the book that I approached several friends of mine for help in buying it but none of them came to my aid. Luckily though, I got some money earlier on this year with which I bought the book and it didn't disappoint.
   
   I learnt powerful lessons for personal change in the book. One of the lessons is that the way we feel should never be a function of how people behave or treat us. In addition to that, I also learnt from it that we should seek first to understand, and then to be understood.
2. The Book of Matthew: This is one of my favourite books in the Bible in which Apostle Matthew recorded the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, my best friend from whom I draw strength, guidance and inspiration.
   
   I learnt from the book to value prayers but not to show it off to others by shouting loudly for people to hear. So, as per Jesus teachings, I prefer praying in the silent chambers of my heart whether I am alone in my bedroom or out there in the streets.
   
   Also, I learnt from the Book of Matthew not to worry about the future but instead live one day at a time. That has been a hard lesson to implement in my life but I am getting better at it with time.
3. My American Journey: This is the autobiography of Colin Powell, a black American, born of immigrant parents, who rose through the ranks of the United States military to become the National Security Advisor under President Ronald Reagan.
   
   Of the many excellent lessons I learnt from the book, the one that I will tell you is to never be buffaloed by experts. We should always be ready to challenge them even in their own backyard.
4. The Book of Proverbs: This is also another favourite book of mine in the Bible, especially the Good News version. It is rich with splendid sayings.
   
   From those sayings, I have learnt to hate lies, to value hard work, to think cheerfully, to be wary of the wayward wife, to marry a woman of noble character and to choose my company of friends wisely. Perhaps most important, I learnt from the sayings to involve God in everything I do. And I usually do that every other day.
5. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey: I read this book a few years ago even though I was well past my teenage years. And I learnt from it that laughing:
   • Loosens up mental gears and helps us think more creatively
   • Helps us cope with the difficulties of life
   • Reduces stress levels
   • Relaxes us as it lowers our blood pressure
   • Connects us with others and counteracts the feeling of alienation, a major contributor in depression and suicide
   • Releases endorphins, the brain's natural pain killers ^[1]
   Those are magnificent benefits, aren't they? God be thanked for the gift of laughing.
6. A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe: I read this novel as a high school set book for my KCSE exams. And I really loved it; so much that I reread it last year.
   
   Although the novel is a bit steamy, it does shed light on the nature of political leadership in many African nations after they gained independence from their European masters. And if I was asked who my favourite fictional character is, I would say it is Odili Samalu - the main character of this short novel.
7. The Book of Psalms: This is yet another favourite book of mine in the Bible. Some of the psalms in the book were authored by David, the pioneering King of Israel and my hero who I am striving to emulate.
   
   By reading psalms of David, I was able to identify with David in the way he was rebellious and oppressed. I also came to discover from the psalms that like me, David had talents in music and writing which brought him wealth and honor. That's why I am always striving to emulate him. But I believe that I will never be unfaithful like he was.

There you have them: that is, the list of some of the books I have read and the lessons I have gleaned from them. I hope you have learnt something from this story as well. How about you? Tell me, what have you learnt from your readings so far? Over to you!

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^[1] I have extracted these benefits of laughing from page 233 of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey, published in 1998 by Simon & Schuster.