Sometimes I wish I was a jungu. In my mind at least. But remain a proud son of the African continent. I admire how folks in the west change career with relative ease. I know there are fellow Africans who do the same but most of us struggle to move on from our original occupations even when it’s clear that its time up. Perhaps it’s an upbringing thing and mostly how we are socialized. In my parents’ days, this was the way to go. Do the same thing until you retire. Long service awards were hung with pride in our living rooms.

My dad was a banker until the day he retired. He even used his connections to get me a job at the bank when I finished campus. While that may have portrayed him as successful then it is not as highly regarded in today’s marketplace. Staying in one job for very long isn’t attractive as it was in our parents’ era. It may even be seen as a lack of ambition and borderline boring by some. Though being called Mwalimu or Daktari even into retirement must feel good. One is still respected in their community.

We folks in our 40s may be the last remnants of that old school of thought that our folks had. I’ve experienced it over the last few years as I exited my business after two decades of being the tent guy. I meet folks who struggle to place me now and I don’t blame them. They ask me quizzically, “so what do you do now?” I respond excitedly on how I’m pursuing coaching, nature photography and public service. They say, “ok” with an uncomfortable tone as if they want to exit that conversation haraka. I wonder if they are feeling sorry for me as a poor lost sheep or wishing they could set their curiosity free to explore new interests

Luckily there are a few in every generation who refuse to settle and avoid comfort zones like the plague. I have one such friend who positively destabilises me. I call her my mentor because she has decided to stretch her life by pursuing purpose and living urgently. She has become a rubberband to me (and others) that stretches us so we can reach our potential.

Last week she invited me to join a project she is working on. They are reporting on conservation efforts at Mau Eburu forest and needed some photos taken. Initially, I thought it was just a ka small job to photograph her flower garden at home but when she described the scope I was first scared then excited. My first conservation photography assignment to a place I have never been. The unknown part of it made it even more exciting. Keep putting your work out there folks. you never know who is watching.

I set out from Nairobi early Thursday morning to meet my guide in Naivasha town. Joseph was a pleasant man whose job was evidently more of a passion than employment. We spent the two days in the forest and surrounding areas interacting with the residents. Mau Eburu forest is a gem. I got to enjoy the natural sauna as the area seats on the geothermal activity below ground. The water harvesting methods by the locals blew me away. They collect the underground steam and direct it in mabati pipes where the cool wind condenses the steam to water droplets that collect at the bottom of a tank. And just like that, they have clean water, bottled (more like steamed) at source hehe.

I enjoyed talking to the locals about how they have benefitted from the forest conservation efforts. They now use biogas to cook instead of firewood from the forest. The local Ogiek community lives off honey and they have many hives in the forest. They still light fires the old traditional way which I found so fascinating. They seem to have a pact with the bees because they would harvest honey during the day with no protective clothing.

I decided the bees will know I come in peace so I followed them into the forest to capture the action on camera. Unfortunately, the bees were not as friendly as my host and I got stung. I was given some honey and honeycomb to carry as my consolation. Again first time to eat honeycomb. Did you know it’s more nutritious than the honey itself? now you know

Joseph led me to see the wildlife corridor that the landowners in Naivasha are creating for the wild animals to cross safely between the forest and Lake Naivasha where they go to drink. We do need to do more to grow and preserve our flora and fauna. The government is doing something but we can also contribute to caring for our magical Kenya. I was happy to document this good work. I’m enjoying this version of public service.

I drove back on Saturday feeling like I’m walking out of a thriller movie. How is it that I’m now hired to spend time in nature taking photos? Kama drama. Imagine if fear held me back and I was still in my events business bored and unhappy. There is a whole new world out there folks waiting for us. But it needs our permission to come alive.

Folks our lives are like a book with several chapters. We were created for the whole book to be read and experienced for as long as we are on earth. How we live will determine whether the book of our lives is read long after we have expired.

Sadly many of us go through the table of contents excitedly seeing what lies ahead but when we get into the first chapter we get stuck there.  A life where we only do one thing is equal to reading only the first chapter of a book and never flipping the pages to the rest of it.

I’m glad I decided to explore the book of my life and so far so good. The satisfaction of small wins like what I experienced last week dilutes the fear of the unknown huko mbele. I’m looking forward to the chapters ahead. #OnlyBIGthingsgoingforward

What chapter are you on guys? could it be time to move on to the next? Be like an onion where you peel layer after layer. That may bring tears to your eyes but they will be tears of joy hehe.

Oh and should you need a good nature photographer, I know a guy. Just DM hehe…

 

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4 thoughts on “Unread Chapters.”

  1. George Muya Nuthu says:

    Lucas, I couldn’t agree more….Don’t get stuck in the 1st chapter of the book of your life! Thanks for the challenge and/or reminder. KEEP IT UP 👍🏽

  2. David Kimani says:

    Fear is truly a big hindrance to discovering, enjoying, actualizing the many pages of our lives. Having a growth mindset is the way to go. Thank you Lucas for these thoughts.

  3. Bett says:

    You are a wise old sailor, Lucas. Tell me, how does one manage the financial upheavals that come with these career transitions, especially when they have families to support? Think you could share from your own personal experience, as a family man and self employed urbanite. Thank you!

  4. Chris K. says:

    Profound lesssons for looking at things from a different perspective

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