When I entered the University of Dar es Salaam, I started getting the car bug. It was then that I noticed my love for sports cars. My first dream car was a Toyota Celica; I had pictures of it almost everywhere. I also baptised it with a new name: Prince Awesome.
When I managed to buy the car, it was an amazing experience. A red Toyota Celica gave me the vibe of driving a red Ferrari. Many people stopped to look and admire the beauty and craftsmanship of the car.
Since it was new and my dream, I did my best to take care of it. I was washing it almost weekly and servicing it as soon as the time came. I would avoid bad roads and slow down on bumps and potholes.
But in a few years, the car started having some issues, like any car. Cars will break down and sustain damage regardless of how well you maintain them. Mine was no different; it started with the battery issue.
It slowly started cranking up and delaying when switching it on. It then got worse; sometimes it would not start for a few seconds because the battery had no power. It got worse. Sometimes it wouldn’t start at all without a battery boost.
This one day it acted on me at the worst moment possible. It was a visiting day at my younger sister’s school; I suited up and showed up with the car. My blue suit with my red car was my go-to style at special events for my special people.
Since there were a lot of other parents with cars, the parking was full when I arrived. So I parked my car far away from the school and walked there, the first sign of trouble. When the event finished, I had to walk back to the car again; it was sunny and hot, not a good combination in a blue suit.
I opened the car door with anticipation, ready for some air conditioning after walking in the sun in a suit. I was shocked when the car failed to start on the first try. I took a deep breath and prayed to God before attempting the second try. It didn’t work.
The battery acted up on me; this time it showed no sign of life, even to consider boosting it. With a suit and exhaustion from the day, I had no energy to even move around to find help to boost the battery. I called my mechanic and explained the situation, left the car keys at a nearby shop, and left the car there.
On my way back home, I was cursing that car like crazy. I felt humiliated, embarrassed, and disappointed to the fullest. I felt like having that car was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I felt like life was not fair for such a thing to happen to me.
A few minutes later, some senses returned. I saw how people struggled to catch public transport. I also noticed them stuck in traffic jams. I remembered all the days that I was like them. Waiting for transport for hours sometimes, then fighting to get the car during rush hours. Being around people with different personalities and smells for a long time was hard.
I realised no matter what my car did or would do, I was still better off. I realised that I was cursing and hating the one thing that saved me from all my transport struggles. The car let me attend events where I could wear a blue suit. It would have been hard to do this using public transport, and renting one would have cost more.
That car let me work full-time as an employee by day and as an entrepreneur by night. I used the car to distribute the products for my startup. The car made me go on road trips with my girlfriend, something that was life-changing.
It also occurred to me that cars are objects, and objects will eventually break in some manner. We won’t pick when, where or how they break, but they will break. Our roles were to embrace the breaking aspect and accept the inconvenience of when, where and how.
And things take human nature too; we too break sometimes. We become sick, experience fatigue, and ultimately face death. That gave me some serenity on my way back home despite the incident with the car. I was at peace with Prince Awesome, and I knew my mechanic would take good care of him.
We all pass through phases and situations in life that we curse the only things we have in life. We often curse and complain about our parents, our background, our education, and our past. Sometimes, we even grumble about our lives.
We rarely take a moment to reflect. We don’t choose when, where, or how inconveniences occur in our lives, or the things we complain about. When we stop and think, we see that what we complain about is all we have to begin with. When we look back, those things gave us more than the hassle we usually notice.
Next time you feel embarrassed, disappointed, frustrated, or heartbroken, take a moment. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you have anything or anyone better than what or who you are complaining about?
- Did the thing or person you are complaining about offer you way more than you could have asked for?
- Did anyone tell you that the thing or person is perfect, that won’t break, get sick, get damaged, or disappoint you?
Next time you curse and complain, remember to appreciate that it’s the only thing or person you have got.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you find peace and joy.
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#iThinkSo
Rogers Katuma
Financial Artist, Senior Adventurer, Occasional Storyteller and an Amateur Golfer
