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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Letter To My 13 Year Old Self

I am writing this as a challenge by one of my favourite bloggers @carolkmail I was 13 a long time back so I have to try and remember how it was back then

Ok young man,
I know you now think that you know everything because you just turned 13. Well, I've got 13 things to tell you so for once in your life I want you to actually listen. One, it is an important thing to actually take time to listen. Remember "silent" is an anagram of listen, so it is good at times to just observe silence and listen to what the world has to say. Listen to what the adults have to say, they have all passed 13 you know. Secondly, remember that people will tell who you are by who your friends are. I know you have some friends I don't like, and I am not telling you to do anything about them but as you grow older, you will earn respect or disrespect depending on the type of the company you keep. You hang around with loafers and you will be loafers.

The third thing I want to tell you is to never grow a big head. Keep in mind that just as you are better at some things than other boys your age, there are some things that they are better at than you. And that is how it will be for the rest of your life, so don't get jealous of others, or try to compete with them. Know what you want and set out to get it, it does not matter if others do better or worse than you, as long as you get what you want. The other thing I can add is that when you go to high school, you will meet kids from all types of background, kids who are the sons of ministers and the rich, and kids from poorer backgrounds than you. Treat them all the same coz you never know where life will take you.

My point number five is that never fear trying anything new and never fear to fail. Don't care what others say, if you fail, just start over again until you get it right, or until you prove it cannot work. My final point is about the girls..eh, I know this is difficult to talk about, but...well, all I can say is that some are good and some might not be so good. The day you will find that good one, treat her nicely and your life will be forever good. And that's all I can say about that point.

I know you were expecting to count 13 points but if you take these points and multiply by two, then add one for that last point because it is big, then there you are. Now finish your homework, it might determine your future. But then again it might not.

PS: I have been asked to tag others to continue this thread but I don't really interact with bloggers whose blogs I read on a personal level, so I am not sure how they will take it. But these are some of my favourite bloggers so I would like to see if they can write anything on this: @magaribina @wyndago and @shiko_msa They have excellent blogs, follow them

10 comments:

  1. Wow! This is the best advice I have ever received! O wait! Your 13 year old self must have ever received! I knew you could do it. I shall definitely keep this copy and hand it down to someone. Thank you!

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  2. Its a great honor to be tagged by you! @carolkmail i already know who you are going to hand that copy to :)

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  3. @carolkmail glad you can hand it down -- as long as I will get my royalties :)
    @Wyndago, read your piece on the same, very interesting! Thanks for stopping by

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  4. Such a nice read! If only the younger you could read!

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  5. Joliea, thanks for the read. At 13 I was almost through with the Hardy Boys series!!!

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  6. Great advice for a 13 year old (and even for a grown up) :-)

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  7. "Growing a big head...." sounds like direct translation from dholuo.
    I think you should have actually let yourself grow a big "head" if it means ...expand your knowledge.

    You should also have told yourself this...delete the phrase "mathematicus hardus" from all your text books before you hand them over to your sister. In this way, there could have been an extra scientist in the family.

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  8. akinyi, maybe I should have said tough head? Knowledge is more about the mind though...as for the mathematics, the less said about that topic, the better!!

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  9. Oh my I have missed this party by a good one year.

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  10. Shiko, looks like you are the girl who turns up to dance when the disco is over!

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