NeW AGE: THe year I turn 30!

I used to think 30 was such a far a way number, growing the 30 year old’s looked so big and unreachable. I remember being a child and after eating mulberry fruits with my best friend Lamine, other friends came over and we were asking each other our ages haha, Uncle Peter walked past us and not only was this man a giant, but he also felt old to me though then one would say he was very youthful then.

Being a teacher’s son meant that I had to excel in all I strived for otherwise what is the point, it is like being a preacher or Imam’s kid but lacking in the ways of the Word. I grew up a very shy person ( till date I look back to try and find where it changed, to be honest I am still shy but I figured ways of masking it), I would be playing at home and then Bahat would come and ask my mother if they could borrow me to be a groom for a play pretend wedding (those used to be popular mmh mhh). Being young with random confidence in early primary school, I remember my late friend Peter who died from a Motor accident; when we were young, he would come get me to go to school and there our other friend Duncan and another Peter would be chilling. I remember getting number 1 all the time to the point that the teachers would scream during finals “the one who got number 1 should walk up to the stage” and I would walk there ( embarrassing lol). Changed schools and ended up meeting Amiri, Ebuwa, Joshua my close friends. Ebuwa introduced me to Nigerian cuisine, Joshua introduced me to Destiny Kids (those kids were terrible singers but we loved them and their many volumes), Amiri introduced me to Tanzanian cuisines and I had my first Duck at his house. I knew William then but I met William again in Secondary school, William expanded my view ( I didn’t know there are some Malawians who ate Pumba aka boar and also snails). I remember Shameema, my little sister who moved to the UK.

Secondary I met Hamilton, Merunissa, Sattar and family. I became more and more open to meeting so many people, I still felt young, and 30 was far away. University gave me Wataska, Rachel, Yamiko, Chris, and the Nevins. 30 was a distant away. My world view continued to expand, the realities of life had sinked in already, Life had already taught me a million lessons. I grew up experiencing life with Trevor (we have been having fun since then, my brother for sure). Interesting fact, my siblings and I are actually 2 years apart or almost 2 years apart and yet 30 was far away.

I went to Turkey before 30 and came back to Malawi before 30, my friends have turned 30 before me, and yet 30 felt far away. Now that I am turning 30 or have turned 30 it is still surreal. Should I wake up trying to hear the bones crack, should I start taking half a spoon of sugar, should I start picking my phone on the second ring so people think I am not always reachable and busy. Or should I continue to reflect and look forward to what the future holds? 30 is now not far away.

I was having a conversation with Ehsan, and my kanka said that this year no resolution, what happens happens (que sera sera maybe). My other Kanka John has been excited and I have been tapping into that excitement since he has been here before, Sena kanka 30 is coming soon my dear haha. Well Antonia, Bailey, Dumi, Emmanuel and Olive are already 30 and they look healthy so maybe 30 is not so bad after all. 30 is no longer a far away number.

I don’t have any resolutions for 30, I am pushing to discover myself even more, to grow, to settle, to thrive, to love, to understand. Maybe I will treat 30 as the age of experimentation since 33 is my next mark to make sure 2 goals are accomplished. Maybe I get to finish my short stories and publish them as a gift to myself for making it 30. 30 has arrived with memories, 30 has brought nostalgia, 30 has brought a lot. This is the second year with my big sister wishing me a happy birthday but I hope she is at the little restaurant ( mori no chiisan restoran) clebrating on my behalf.

Seventeen by Alessia Cara, 7 years old by Lukas Graham, Baba Yetu, Oliver Mtukudzi, Wambali Mkandawire. Their music has been ringing in my head, the year I turn 30. I promise to be more open with myself, be more kind with myself, be more aware with myself, be more present for myself, I promise to never stop chasing the dream that is almost here ( I mean if I thought 30 was far away how about the dream then). Ode to freedom by Abba is my current jam right now (30 is the place to be).

So in summary: Hello my name is Wisdom (the almost Jack of All Trades) for those that are interested, I am a pisces (Sun in pisces, moon in capricon, Leo Rising, Mercury in pisces, Venus in taurus, Mars in pisces, Jupiter in Capricorn, Saturn in Pisces, Uranus in aquarius, Neptune in capricorn, Pluto in Sagittarius,) all this gibberrish to say that I am very intuitive, an Adapter, and a Receptive person.

I believe in never losing hope but encouraging that hope for those that seek it it, never felt it and those that are within it. I am 30 years old and still young, I am still learning, I am still feeling, I am still livng. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.