Quotes on Hope

I share with you random quotes I had previously shared on my facebook wall. They were scattered. Here, I lay them systematically.

1.We had a man-to-man talk with sorrow a long time ago. I sat him down, talked with him for two hours. He was decrepit, shallow, sunken. As I talked to him about the rays of the sun and the exciting beaches and the mystery of the human voice, I realized that I was in the wrong company. We are not in talking terms ever since. 

2. I overheard somebody say that I am 'annoyingly happy'. I thought about it and I confess that I hold the earth with a candlestick and as it flickers rays of hope who am I, Lorot Son of the Hills, not to share with you its light? 

3. Child of Hope, as you end up this week always know that your efforts count a lot. Push yourself to the limit, be at the edge. You have all that it takes to accomplish what you want to do. Work on your to-do list, Child of Hope. The clock is ticking.

4. Child of Hope, with all the uncertainties- the soaring food prices, the debilitating news of Somali refugees, the selfishness- these should not depress you. In your own small little ways you could help the world. Forge on, Child of Hope. Put a smile on somebody’s face today.

5. When you rise up to speak, Child of Hope, guard your tongue. What will invectives, insults and chest-thumping yield? Where is wisdom in stirring wrath? If need be, be silent but when you stand up to speak, speak in the wisdom of our people. If your words be measured by their weight, let them break the weighing machines, not some empty chatter . 

6. Many ask me what keeps me keeping on. When I tell them that this life is exciting, they don’t believe me. Listen to Marangi’s Dura Coat adverts, watch the GalSheet advert of our dude being chased out, watch the Blue Band woman ride a small bike and stopping a moving bus. In these small things we find humour. 

7. Until and unless Kenyans stop following the sideshows of our politicians, we might never discover the prank they play on us. Our politicians have mastered the art of distraction. If a politician breaks into a song in a press conference, we should not be distracted by the hoarseness of his voice. Rather, we should ask whether that is the same voice we gave him to articulate our issues.

8. And what do our youths of today have to offer? It is sad that in Kenya today, we find old minds trapped in young bodies. Bestraddling our political landscape today, we see them everywhere. Of ‘Youth MPs’ who think like 70 year olds or 80 year olds or 90 year olds. Their claim to fame is that they are young yet in their minds they carry the baggage of tired ideas.

9. It will be a tragedy of our times if we fall into the same trap again. Let us never lose sight of what we need as a country. These nonsensical outfits we call political parties are the gravy trains that have halted our leap into the future. I have no problem if a clever politician comes up with a name like Vigeugeu Hapana Tena. Problem will be if he will take my country to different level.

10. Coupled with hope, keep humour close with you. If you see ‘blind’ men begging only to run when they see the City Council askaris, laugh at this. There is always humour around you, of people talking to themselves in the streets, of our politicians, of the best of life’s comedies.

11. And you might forget all else, Child of Hope, but always keep this with you. Hope is the last thing you can lose. You can replace wealth, you can replenish knowledge, you can fix a broken tooth but you can’t fix a shattered hope. Hope is the spring in your feet, the urge in your voice, the dream that keeps you going.

12. Keep on, Child of Hope, Keep on. Whatever the affliction, whatever the difficulty. Children of Hope live with the stars and the moon and the galaxies. They are not ruffled by whirlwinds for what are they but confused chaos with no purpose? Keep on, Child of Hope, Keep on.

13. Child of Hope, never let the month of July chilling cold shake your bones. Didn’t they say that after cold there’s warmth and that sorrow invites surprises? August will be here. Soon, whatever chilly sensations that have been numbing you will be gone, inviting the warmth that will light up your dreams.

14. Child of Hope, never ever despair. You have walked in the searing sun of the day, why should the fickle light of the moon discourage you. You are a Child of Hope, always remember that. 

C) Lorot Salem 2011