Reflections.

Do you believe in coincidences? Or when a close friend does a repeat performance of an experience you once went through. Could it be a reminder to learn a lesson we missed back then? I don’t know. I’m just pleased that I could influence a good Kenyan to greatness by default because it was never by design. Maybe the lesson here is to fully commit to the task at hand. Keep your head down because (as is the case here) you never know what you will see when you look up. You just might have inspired someone to be even better than you. I’ll stop here as this space today belongs to my good friend, Wambui. Thank you for the recognition Rafiki. Pleasantly surprised but deeply appreciated it.

Enjoy the read and be inspired folks.

THE YEAR THAT HAS BEEN

What do you write when asked for an article detailing 365 days of a season in your life that was planted 9 years prior by the very person who is asking for it?

To start with, I feel like the Chinese Bamboo. This bamboo is said to take about 5 years before any real growth is seen. It is planted, watered, nurtured and tendered without any visible growth. Then 5 years later it sprouts and shoots up about 3 feet a day and can grow to roughly 90 feet in a month! This analogy is told to give perspective on how human life can sometimes be. The lessons in it include patience, hard work, perseverance, dedication, etc… all geared to attaining one’s goals or dreams.

The year that has been for me in regards to this article is my golfing life story.

9 years ago, Lucas Marang’a became the Golf Captain at Limuru Country Club. Being so young, highly ambitious, full of vigour and lots of influence amongst his friends, Lucas made us all start golfing seriously. I was not interested in golf in the least. But to support my friend, I started playing. I went for lessons and soon got handicap ( your playing ability) 36.0 – the highest attainable then. What’s remarkable about that year is that I was so horrible at the game, that for every round I played I won “piga-mingi”(prize reserved for those who are top from the bottom hehe). However, I finally won a decent prize! Lady Winner at the Captain’s Prize that year. As Lucas presented to me the prize, he told me that he will one day receive a prize from me as the Lady Captain. And indeed, this year, I awarded Lucas one of the golf winnings at my Lady Captain’s Prize a few weeks ago. I must say, I’m a happy camper that my golf (captain) mentor’s words have come true.

In summary, the year that has been had many lessons drawn from watching, talking to and listening to Lucas:

1. Service to humanity is Service to God – give your all in whatever area you have been called to serve. In doing so, you are working as unto the Lord. In serving others, there is much fulfilment. Everyone who wants to experience the joy (and inevitably the pain) of contributing to the betterment of humanity should look to serve.
2. ‘Andú nío indo’ (loosely translated – people are wealth) – I have watched Lucas as a leader in key golfing bodies in this country. One thing this man has is a good grasp of growing his Social Capital. I must say, ‘Kibi’, you are my hero! So, from this, I learnt from the very start in my golfing life, to network without frills. I must say that I have enjoyed playing golf with Ambassadors, Caddies, Pros, Beginners, Ladies, Men, Children and everyone else who could give me a game and sit with me on the 19^th hole (clubhouse). I have loved every moment of it. This came in handy as I planned for my Lady Captain’s Prize this year. Everyone has sponsored me. Some are still asking why I did not ask for sponsorship from them. To this end, to all who have allowed me to invest my time with them, Asanteni SANA!!!
3. Get people to know and value what you do – this applies in all aspects of life. For those who appreciate the game of golf, you know that Golf reflects life. As we commonly say, you can get good breaks from bad shots or bad breaks from good shots. In life, you have good days and bad days, but the total allows for the person you become. As a Lady Captain, having learnt from my Captain 9 years ago, I valued what I was doing to serve my club members this year. I planned tournaments for the ladies’ golf section, I introduced sponsors and new members to the club, I got to meet new lady golfers, all the while enjoying rounds of golf with even non-handicapped potential golfers. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this prestigious club and be part of its success in unprecedented times.
4. Stay humble – my dear friend Lucas always tells me; “you cannot be a leader without followers”. People follow people they can relate with, reachable people, people who are trustworthy and honest and are real. Thank you Lucas for those invaluable sagacious words. They have been ringing true and have helped me stay the course this year.
5. Finally – the year/term will come to an end. You will not have the perks that you had and the special treatments. But more importantly, the people who are dear and close to you, how will they be feeling at the end of it all? And to this end, I am grateful that Lucas helped me see that these special pillars in my life; my husband and sons, close girlfriends, my extended family, and my colleagues, should remain relevant and special throughout. I must say that it was a tough balance given the late nights, the calls, new relationships formed, etc. But I am grateful for those grounding words and those who helped pull me back to the right track.

In closing, I must say that God orders our paths. He places people in our lives for every season that we may go through. For me, meeting Lucas in Campus over 20 years ago now makes sense for the season that this year 2021 has been. He was a good friend from the moment we said hello. He has always believed in me and has inspired me in many ways. Lucas, if I haven’t said so loud enough, Asante SANA! Thank you for allowing God to use you to be my mentor. May the Lord order your steps too so that as you continue to serve, you can reap a bountiful harvest!

As we have always said, “Let’s eat life with a BIG spoon”.

Wambui Gitonga.

Outgoing Lady Captain 2021.

Limuru Country Club.