GIVERS OF JOY

Muwado Ad by Muwado - Africa's Storytelling Platform

Many gifted people, those who make our lives brighter, who give us joy especially when we are in trouble, who relieve our stress, anxiety, and depression when we listen to their music, read their poems, watch their films, follow their stories, admire their artworks, or laugh alone in our rooms at their comedy (even in a bus where people might think we’re mad), are often overlooked by the world. They are not given attention, they are quickly forgotten, and many times they grow discouraged because they give their lives to entertaining others and bringing positivity to the world, yet the world does not give back to them.

We often take such people to be celebrities, people above us, untouchable, far removed from ordinary life. But we forget that they too are human beings, with blood in their veins and emotions in their hearts. They too need encouragement, connection, and to be spoken to as people. They have families, children, relatives, just like anyone else. They face challenges in life, they fall sick, they feel pain, they get angry, they cry, they become discouraged. But because we place them on a pedestal, because we sometimes see them as robots whose only job is to entertain us, we fail to reach out to them, and much of what they carry remains locked inside their hearts.

Sometimes, if you have the chance, simply greet them. Don’t ask about their music, their writing, their poems, no. Just greet them. Visit them. Bless them. Treat them as human beings. As fellow members of our society.

Today I remember Wambali Mkandawire, Grace Chinga, Mafunyeta, Steve Chimombo, Chinua Achebe, Michael Jackson, Emily Elizabeth Dickinson, and many others. Life would be empty without them.

Written by

Shadreck Chikoti

Follow

Did this story move you? Every gift goes directly to Shadreck Chikoti — writers on Muwado earn from reader appreciation, not algorithms. Even $1 makes a difference.

Gift Once Gift Monthly