The New Year rolls in. Like a conveyor belt. Everyone looking forward to new frontiers, new challenges, better days and sweeter nights. But there is usually nothing new – only a state of the mind. But that is a debate for another day (year). So away went 2016 and we ushered in 2017 with pop and some colour. By the way we need to look into how we usher in the New Year. I did observe that some were wailing instead of celebrating – maybe because they knew January would be a hard nut to crack, what with Form Ones reporting to school at the same time with the rest of the pupils and students. All that amount of fees, and the realization that textbooks were attracting 16% VAT just like any other commodity, with almost all the income having been absorbed by the holiday celebrations. Whew! By the way is “having been” grammatically correct?

So much for the New Year. In 2011, as the year was rolling in, my colleague then – one Pastor George Ambayo, ye of NPC Valley Road, ministered to me. He assured me that the Lord would see me through the year. True to his ministry, I saw the end of that year and a change of job. Pastor Ambayo is a very humble guy and fit like a fiddle. He would tell us that during his days, he would play for Gor Mahia team. You wouldn’t guess his age and would be amazed when he eventually told you his exact age. I have never asked him the ‘secret’ of staying young. He has been ministering to me from that time on through email and currently through whatsapp. Pastor, I implore you that you continue with your ministry on me (am sure there are many more who receive your daily messages), let’s make 2017 better than 2016. Maybe it’s because of your ministry that I kept my head intact. On his coat lapel, he would adorn a badge which was magnificent, but had only two question marks. I wanted to know what they meant (the question marks) and I got the answer straight away. The question marks were two questions directed to whoever enquired;
1. Are you saved?
2. If you died today, would you go to heaven?
Two candid questions for those who believe in Christ Jesus and the Almighty Father in heaven. Two questions which, ultimately, should guide us in 2017 and beyond. And every night, as we go to sleep, let’s also remember this prayer;
‘Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.’
This is from Deborah Crombie’s novel; In a Dark House.

2017 is also the year we are called upon to exercise our democratic right as citizens to vote in leaders to steer the country to prosperity (or abyss) for the next five years. And political temperatures are already rising, which is nothing new really. But we need to hold together as a country. No? Ye who have gone to school, I expect better debates online and offline, otherwise your contributions will form the basis for me to write a research paper and publish it here: “The Correlation between Education and idiocy in Kenya”. All should be well if we practice peace within ourselves, and remember that those demigods we follow have no meaningful agenda to us at the end of the day. And remember it’s your neighbor who will rush to your help if you had a fishbone stuck in your throat as you partook your dinner, not the MCA. Above all, let’s remember these words from the famous Desiderata Poem: Avoid Loud and Aggressive Persons, they are Vexations to the Spirit.

In this year, ladies and gentlemen, we need to agree on one other thing. If you are driving a Mercedes Benz car, and there is traffic snarl-up, you cannot start overlapping. No. That is just stooping too low. Where are you rushing to go? Are you an ambulance? Are you running low on gas? Or are you rushing to attend Mercedes Owners’ Whatsapp group meeting? Because such a group does not exist. Even if you don’t respect yourself or the law of the land, at least respect the brand.

Here’s to a great 2017 to all. That is what my boss told me when I reported back to work. I hope it heralds great opportunities ahead.