100 Days of My Youth (Day 83): Naye Mikwaano Gyo Gikuziimba?

A while ago, I was lost in thought, wondering what the hell I was going to write about today. What was worthy sharing about my youthful experiences. From the moment dusk fully settled in & the blanket of darkness covered earth, I was still clueless about what my blog today would be like.

While I coiled myself and cuddled up on a Jaj, I was still lost in thought and panel beating on what I would share today.

The odds gave me a good boda boda rider but fate gave me a lecturer. What was meant to be a calm ride back home turned into a life talk. A chat every Youth needs atleast to remind them of their journey in life.

Isma my SafeBoda rider seemed a calm and cool guy. Unlike the usual jaj guys that simply impose their jazz on you, he allowed me start up a topic and he saw the need to take it on there and delve into what he felt like he had to share. From his small talk, I could tell and learn that he’d had many moral talks with youthful riders. Some had listened heeded to advice and thanked him a few months later when they met him again while the others had simply shoved him off. He narrated a story and had a rather interesting sugar icing to it….

“I know you’re a young fella, your family prolly has some money, you have a well paying job and you’re outrightly living your best life. However, I need you to know your friends. See we have friends that don’t really build us or even are of any use.

Friends that will be there when you have and will be the very ones who won’t be around when you have nothing.

Friends who will help you and say a lot about how they helped you to just about anyone that cares to listen. You’ll also have friends who’ll only hang around you or be your friends when you have something. See you need to strike a balance, wake up and realize.

God forbid tomorrow, you’ll wake up when you don’t have a job, when the people you thought are your friends are nowhere to come to your aid and you’re literally alone. You’ll get old and there won’t be anything to show about all the years you spent working.

Wekoledewo Kaki? Although you live your best life to the fullest, go to the most expensive bars, drink the most alcohol, of what use is that when you have nothing precious to go back to and be proud of your hustle. You really need to stop and think about the friends you have.

If the friends you have are not advising you on what you should be doing to better yourself, if they’ll not helping you set up a better future, start up a small business or even share ideas on a secure future then are those really your friends?

Friends that are all about the party, living their youthful life and not really minding about their future are not to be trusted”

Isma’s words were not knew to me, it wasn’t the first time I’d heard a story like that or a lesson that thrilling. However, it was the first time a Jaj Guy didn’t speak nonsense or about politics. It was the first time it all made sense that what I’ve always told myself is what other people are telling me too.

See you need to vet your friends. Know your friends, those that will build you for tomorrow and those that are only here for a good time and not the hard times.

“You really need to know your friends. Oluusi tubeera nnemikwaano gino naye Nga tejituziimba!”, is the one line that continues to gong in my mind even as I jot this down!