In our current world, success is not pegged on books alone
If someone asked me today why I read self-help books, I would simply tell them this: books heal us.
He who doesn’t know one thing knows another.” This is a phrase that captures my mind from the poem ‘The Grandpa Series’ by Kananu Jerusha Merete.
Every time I read the poem, many ideas pop up in my mind.
How well do you understand the phrase?
In primary school, we were many boys and girls from varied backgrounds but we were all brought to school by our parents to build our future.
At the end of our eighth year, we were ready to sit for the national examination.
Most of us did well and were admitted to national, extra-county and county schools. We were symbols of success.
But what concerns me to date is our colleagues who didn’t make it to big schools. After their poor show, some could be heard saying they had been told they came to school to escort others and create blankets for them.
For these young people whom our society deems non-achievers, home is never a friendly place.
There are parents and family members who discriminate children on the basis of their academic ability.
Many parents do not understand that when one doesn’t know one thing there is something else they could do better.
When children are treated unfairly on the basis of their abilities, they end up having stress and eventually develop depression.
We are in the era where success is not pegged on books alone.
Parents and guardians should take time to discover what their children can do best and develop it. Eliud Kipchoge, the 2016 and 2020 Olympic champion, is our good example. Where could he be if his talent was not nurtured?
What if his parents had forced him to become a teacher? In his own words, no human is limited.
We should encourage our children to do what is in their best interests, and the sky will be the lower limit.
Success is success whether in academics, sports, business or motherhood. If you are not good in one thing it doesn’t mean you are not good at everything. So go ahead. Be great!
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