Faith Muwar Mpara

A message from my sister got me writing this little note .

She sends a message from school:

Remember to

-Ask uncle about the things to send.

-Ask aunty what they like

This sends me back 8 years; the first time I got to live with her alone. This very message will have been a point to quarrel about why I am so forgetful or why she takes this seriously. These days, she knows in advance what I am likely to forget and will add them to the notes or send these WhatsApp messages. 8 years later, I still think that somethings should not be priority, but I will do them because I totally love the family bond and relationship that we’re building.

Not much has changed about our preferences and differences. But believe me, there is a world of difference about how we manage them these days, and it is beautiful.

There is a lot about life and ourselves that we may not have the luxury to change. Especially when it has to do with people, their preferences and disposition. We don’t even agree about what oil to use for our soups, what to place on the bed or table, or even how much water a reasonable human should be consuming in  a day .But whether these changes happen or not should not be the sole determinant of how our relationship evolves.

I read a quote yesterday that summarized this nicely.

“Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be” Wayne W. Dyer.

One of the beautiful things that I am realizing from getting to know and relate with my siblings is that we will always be different. And yet, we can respect our differences and human dignity. No one lives for the sole pleasure of another, so, it is futile to expect any of them to perfectly fit or meet my expectations.

I totally love the beauty that God created in the form of family. It adds so much colour to my existence.