by When my eldest son hit five years, I was sure he and I were done. He was no longer going to be Mummy’s boy and he would not need me much.
Ha! It’s been nothing like that. He is the guy who will barely let me out of his sight when I am in the house. I think he handles himself well when am not around but when I am home I can count on him to check in on me regularly. Even in the morning he will not leave for school with his brother without coming for a hug.
It was one of those days when I was trying to escape for a few moments in my favorite hiding place — the bathroom. Thankfully, we have gotten to the stage where the boys know not to open the door when I am in there.
Wema in true fashion came to look for me. He started to tinker with stuff in my room while I was in the bathroom. He still wanted to have a conversation, I don’t remember about what.
Midway through the conversation he stopped and asked me if I knew whom I was talking to. I laughed and told him, “Of course I know its you Wema. I know your voice.”
What I did not tell him is that I know his voice most of the times 🙊. Sometimes he and his young brother sound very similar. Especially on the phone.
However, that day I definitely knew it was him.
He was very happy that I knew that it was him.
My boys all have their own distinct personality. They are nothing alike. In complexion. In their voices and in many of their favorite things.
One is more inclined to being a vegetarian while the other is nothing short of a carnivore. Everyday we work to balance out what everyone is happy to eat though most times they don’t get much choice. Our motto is, “eat what you are served”.
Our little one is still a baby, but his uniqueness is visible every day as he grows and makes his presence felt.
We are unique
I listened to a discussion between Cece Winans and her mother. Cece has nine other siblings and her mum acknowledged just how different all ten of her children were. I cannot imagine handling 10 different personalities.
Our voices are just one of the things that make us unique. Think of it, Safaricom even has a feature where you register your voice as a security feature for your account. We are all unique in our voice and our personalities.
For a long time I struggled with how petite I am (or should I say was 😉😁). It has made people sometimes disregard me until someone introduces me in whatever role I am in at the time. Mostly in a work setting I have seen people’s reactions change when I am introduced with my work title. Nothing short of hilarious.
Just recently, the lady from whom we buy drinking water came to report a problem with the water she had sold us earlier in the day. She was so fascinated to know that I am the mother of the home. She said I looked like a college girl. I took it as a compliment! She clearly could not see the remnant of three pregnancies on my mid-section.
Nevertheless, my petit self has had the privilege to work with many young people and I easily blended in because of my size. Even in my current role at work, I feel that what makes me blend in with a largely young team is that they feel at ease seeing another seemingly young person until they get to know me and realize just how ancient I am.
I still feel that I would like to stay working professionally and in Ministry with young people. For this I am glad that I am petite-ish and in this way will always be approachable. I am learning to love and appreciate myself and remember that God made me, he loves me, and he has a wonderful plan for my life.
God’s handiwork
Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV).
I am learning to appreciate myself and my personality. I am a Melancholic. We are deep thinkers and sometimes we mop around sad and gloomy. We take a while to pull ourselves out of emotional slumps and other personality types would consider us too emotional.
I have had to often tell myself that there is room in the Kingdom for the likes of me. There is a purpose even for the Melancholic (can I hear an Amen!).
Sometimes I am tempted to admire the Phlegmatic who is able to move on along even from the most awkward of situations. Or the Choleric who has a do or die attitude. However, I am me for a reason.
I am encouraged by all the people who doubted that God would have a great purpose for their life — Jeremiah, Joshua, Timothy, Gideon, Mary the mother of Jesus, Moses. The list is long.
These people saw themselves unworthy for a reason or the other, perhaps even their personality. This is why Ephesians 2:10 is such a powerful scripture: God created us and with a purpose, work for us to do.
Now how to find and be sure of that purpose, in the voice of the Tinga Tinga tales Monkeys, is a whole other story.
