THE HEALING THORNS

Where should i find my happiness from? My beloved village members throwing me away to the dustibin like chewed ballgum neither was i suffering from leprosy nor ebola. Why are they punishing me at this minor age, on whose hands should i be safe.

Have been given all sorts of nicknames, names associated with evil deeds from the society. Billy my name has lost its original taste it now tastes like bitter honey. "Why is it that such good names are given to children from poor families, are they trying to compeat us, don't they have poor names to call their children," my villagers whenever they see me,"infact this name Billy is the name of the former president of USA,how comes they are misusing it, he needs to be arrested". I wonder How is my name associated with all such kind of menace why are they thinking me like this and whom should i blame? My parents or

"So long as iam living in kidumbe village i have amajor task to do; to protect myself and to restore my dignity", and how can i do all this for Gods sake.

I vividly remember on 10th of February 2013 whe inwas in form two we went for music festival at the District level i met with the young beautiful gold moulded lady called Njiru from Utumwa secondary school the saul mate of my heart who indeed melted my heart with spasms of joy. We fall in love for each other despite us coming from different family background. Njiru was from a well able family his parents were workjng in USA. It take me a long time to realise that i and Njiru were coming from the same village kidumbe. Whenever we meet Njiru could surprise me with expensive gifts frkm USA that even if my parents decide to sale the piece of land wa cannot afford to buy even one, we promised each other heaven, indeedNjiru showed me the right the right defination f flove .

Surviving from the village become anightmare to me the village always popped there eyes to me. I remember one day i met with my village admin on my way from the market

Admin: where are you coming from.

Me: Market.

Admin: You thief your days are numbered.

Me : how comes you are calling me "thief"

Admin: don't you see that most of the villagers are complaining there animal's are being stole. And look how you are dressing, this expensive things where are you getting them from you are a thief.

Me: touching my head..mmmhh

Admin: i have told you, i don't tolerate thieves in my village and the best thing we can do to you is that we will stone you to death. Shame on you

Me: shooking my head in disgrace

Me: . I lacked energy to walk i jus sat down in the middle of the road, sweating everywhere snce it was a hot afternoon being heated by the direct sun rays from the sun. I totally lacked piece in my heat for almost one week. Where shoul i hide my face from and how i look at how innocent iam?

24th of march 2020 was the day, the schools were closed andi organized to take Njiru for the date at Nairobi serena hotel." I need yo suprise my girlfriend and i have to save for her," the sun shone with yellow diminutive rays, the dew from the grass was glittering like reflected sun rays from the mirror indeed the day was auspicious to me. I started building castles in the air on how our first date will be. I put on my elegant clothes that i received as a gift from Njiru indeed I dresed to kill.

One foot step away from the door, my phone rung when i looked at it, it was Njiru that called me.

I was just smiling before receiving the call and i was agitated to hear from the lover of my heart.Good morning my learned, console iam almost coming give me like twooo..min..te. Njiru "its over between us, look at what you have done to me, why didn't you tell me that you are a thief? Why are you ending up all over the village abusing my name for no reason."

I was dumbfolded i lacked what to say, whay is all this happening to me. My body was too weak and i lost my conscious. Is this the right time for Njiru to live me.

It took me almost for hours to come back to my normal senses, "what iam going to do with this two tickets from safiri salama bus sacco, the longly awaited jouney has come to and end within seconds..why is she wasting me, look now i have spent my money to buy this tickets.

I went straight to the visitors sitting room, i turned my favourite television channel to watch the afternoon news, " Breaking news: forty passengers have involved in a deadly road accident a long Nairobi kidumbe road. The safiri salama bus sacco that was travelling from kidumbe village to Nairobi had head collision with a lorry that was trying to ovatake the bus.

Whaaat? Whaat i couldn't believe my eyes, the safiri salama bus sacco.. i was shocked my body was sweating all over the sweat of fear.

Should i blame my girlfriend or should i thank her for what has happened. I was now in dilemma.

Despite what was rocking in my heart i was still feeling heartbroken by Njiru, love is powerful than anything else. How comes the lover of my life is telling me such hurtbroking words, what doesn't she seen from me and the way i take carer of her with the little i had.

"Let me focus with my studies" i started encouraging myself. Even without Njiru in my life the life should continue and how sure iam that Njiru is my rib. I need to work hard in life so that i get good things. Always girls need successful people in their lives. I remember the certain story that i read from the certain article, as i quote" mwanaume ni wallet na mwanamke ni sura"

Being in form three i need to work much extra heard in class. At that time and being the first born from the family i couldn't bear the situation of our family as there was a lot of pressure from my parents. I remember there advice to me,"Billy, your future lies in your hands , look at where you come from, look at how poverty is grinding and chewing us,see how valueless we are in our family and its upto you to change the motion.

The truth is that i was coming from the humble background that we cannot afford two meals in a day and raising school fees was a major challenge to my parents. Villagers used to laugh at me" stop wasting time, energy and the little resources you have by going to school , instead find something constructive to do, how many bright student's have dropped out of school from this village and how dare you are that you will learn" i remember this discouraging words from my village elders.

I kept on pressing despite the challenges i faced, the illicit names they called me i come with my own criteria of survival and how to avoid such critcism. I need to focus on with my school and i always get encouraged by my teachers.

And since i tried a relationship and it didn't work well for me, it was an added advantage to me it really made me to concentrate with my studies." If you have not failed in life it means you did not did do something new" and this were the most encouraging words from the former USA president Barack Obama through this quote i leant that, hurtbrakes makes our hearts stronger.

I did my KCSE and managed to get the aggregate points that took me to higher level of learning. I was so proud of myself and being the first person from my village to go to the university it was so agreat achievement to me. my family members were so excited and proud of me.

I was admitted to one of the most popular universities university of Nairobi. I couldn't imagine myself being in such big university going to interact with student's from all over the country . What an achievement to me. I was to persue a bachelor's degree in medicine for six years.

Despite the challenges that i encountered while at the university i managed to graduate with first class honours. I was employed directly after graduation.

The life become soft to me and to my family. It was January 7th i accompanied my paeents to the church. I drove on my rangerover and after the service i i saw Njiru approaching me smiling, she dressed to kill what beautiful daughter from the maa community.

She called me with his God given charming voice.

Njiru: Good morning, it has been long?

Me: indeed

Njiru: Congratulations i heard that nowdays you are a professional doctor. I couldn't believe that for the first time "you" pointing at me

Me: Iam a professional doctor and i thank God for that.

Njiru: have been away for almost ten years and i have been studying in USA where my parents wereworking. Pointing at the re ferari car..you see that vehicle is my third vehicle that i bought recently. I completed my studies at Baraton university i persued a degree in communication and public relations and currently iam working as a senior consultant at ABSA bank and iam the overall manager of B company an NGo that deals currency exchange.

Me: smiling...this is great achievement to you at this young age...disruption from the villagers all kneeling down; Good afternoon Dakrari..Me " how and why are they kneeling and calling me Daktari" and how comes the thrwon tattered cloth has now become important to them. Anyway whatever that will be pinching you one day it will heal you.