Parent's Appreciation Day

My father comes from village where every girl did B-Com and every boy became a Contractor or an Electrical Engineer. This is quite strange because all these years later, the villagers still live in mud and timber huts and no electricity or even signs of electricity in the area. So everyone I have met from this little village in the middle of Central Province is called "Engineer" or "Mhasibu". I tend to think there was a certain lack of creativity going on or maybe perhaps its the Presbyterian Missionary who didn't quite specify what he meant by "Go forth, multiply and build the nation". My village people might have taken it a bit too literally.

So yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting one of my dad's childhood friends. Naturally, she was an Insurance Agent. Multiplying the world one insurance policy at a time. She insures everyone from the village. She told me her biggest business was of workman's compensation and Pick-ups. I figured a village that works together gets rich together. And Amen to that.

Anyway it was a refreshing meeting. To meet someone who has known your parents for so long, they actually knew each other when they had scrapped knees and herded cattle....or whatever our parents did in the pre-tv age. I think talking to her opened up my perspective of my parents. Suddenly they weren't just the people who make me wash dishes with a hangover or complain endlessly about my hair and untidy room. Suddenly, they were real people who were people's friends and mentors and advisors and shoulders to lean on. Suddenly, I was sharing my parents with the world.

I think for the longest time, I never pictured my parents as actual people beyond the walls of our house. They were some amorphous beings who did other random things and then came home to be our parents. But they aren't. As I came to realize yesterday. They meet and talk to their friends like the rest of us. They drink coffee, they have deadlines, they have deals to make, people to answer to. You know, they have a life beyond their children.

But one thing that struck me the most was when she asked me "Could you imagine if your parents were selfish?" Could you? Could I? I have extremely selfless parents. Sometimes I feel like I'm taking advantage of their goodwill and truth be told, sometimes I do. I believe they would do anything for us. I don't think I have ever had to worry about a thing in my life. My worries are usually selfish and directed elsewhere. But as far as food, shelter, clothing and love are concerned, I have no complaints. Just appreciation and thanksgiving.

It is very rare when you meet people who support you 100% of the time. My parents, well, they may be my biggest critics (with good cause, I do a lot of critical things) but they are also my loudest cheering squad. Any of us could come home one day and declare we wanted to live on the moon and I can bet the response will be : "If that is what you think is best, go find out the details and we can see how we will go about it." I read in the book "Purple Hibiscus", ....she seemed to set the bar higher and higher for her children. Not because she was forcing them to scale it but because she was confident that they would. I think that describes their support. I do not think I'd be where I am or who I am without them.

So today, I raise a glass to the two people who gave me breath, supported me, educated me and watch me with pride when I blossom and pity when I wither . To the people from the land of Contractors and Accountants, to the couple who are friends, confidants, prayer partners and good Samaritans to everyone including me. To the man and woman who taught me that life is never that serious, so I need to breath a little. Hear hear to my parents. Hear, hear to Parents' Appreciation Day.