A very happy and blessed new year, 2023! January is usually the month when most people make resolutions. Since I have the same resolution for years, instead I break from my usual mindset and reflect; on gratitude, religion, politics, philosophy, values and principles, mysteries of life and other reflections.
I will share some of my reflections beginning with gratitude. My constant resolution is expressing profound gratitude to God, pray to do His will on earth and glorify His name so that he makes me kinder, more generous and better person.
Over the years, this has now become my daily prayer. Because this is my daily resolution. I usually spend the final weeks/days of December reflecting on what is going on and why it is going on. I believe everything happens for a reason.
When we pause and reflect, even in the face of adversity, we can be grateful. But, like most resolutions, I am not always successful. There are days I am less generous and kind, less than a better person and I fail to express sufficient gratitude.
The basic meaning for gratitude is being thankful or the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. In difficult times such as the one majority of Kenyans are experiencing, it is hard to show gratitude because we are genuinely caught up in our efforts to survive and to make it through the day or the difficult period we are going through. We are advised that we must face adversity with grace and dignity. Things are really hard for most Kenyans now; the cost of living is very high and commodities, goods and services are very expensive.
The effects and consequences of Covid-19, prolonged drought and the war in Ukraine are still with us though there are improvements. We are grateful.
There are many sick people who can't afford treatment, but the national and county governments are improving NHIF and universal health coverage (UHC). In fact, the national government is planning to improve healthcare and coverage.
People are hungry or can't provide for their families but the former and current governments have made great strides in providing social protection funds and safety nets, with the current government planning more; we should be grateful.
Other people are dealing with grief, prejudice, hate, discrimination, abuse, intimidation and threats. While there are some laws and institutions to address these, there is more we can do to help ourselves.
It is difficult to be grateful when you have lost a loved one or your baby went missing without a trace and you don't know where he is or whether he is safe. For these, we pray for grace, faith and hope.
Gratitude makes us realise how fortunate we are and helps us to be humble. Humility leads to tolerance and acceptance making unity and love possible, which leads to peace. These values are urgently needed.
We need to appreciate ourselves, our families, our employees, employers and our new government. Gratitude will make us realise how so much our government is doing for us. Although we must appreciate that our governments can only do so much.
We must take responsibility and not expect others especially the government to do everything for us. This mentality of "serikali saidia" should be limited to the functions of "serikali" only.
It is true there is sporadic insecurity, inadequate or lack of infrastructure; we have regions and counties where there are no roads, no electricity, no running and portable water, no public school infrastructure and with very poor accessibility.
While we are grateful, we need improvements in service delivery, everywhere. We also need to play our respective roles to fight impunity and corruption. It takes the corrupter and the beneficiary for corruption to occur.
We must also stop political rhetoric. Kenya is ours, all of us, and we have great stakes in it. In everything, we must be grateful and if we all are, Kenya will be a great country for all of us to live and co-exist in.
