Embracing Simplicity in a World Without Electricity
I grew up in a village without electricity, a world where the simple joys of life flourished without the glare of TV screens. This was the norm for everyone in our community. Unbeknownst to us, our lives differed from the world beyond our village. Days we started early, with the elders heading to the fields and the younger ones engaging in games and caring for our siblings. Harvesting groundnuts (peanuts) remains a fond memory. We played amongst the abundant harvest, climbing and laughing in carefree joy.
The Journey to Education and Play
Education was a rite of passage. By the age of 7, and sometimes as late as 9, school life began. Our journeys to school were adventures in themselves, trekking long distances to reach our classrooms. This explains the delayed start to our schooling. Our leisure time was filled with soccer, girls tending to gigs, and other communal games that strengthened our bonds.
Lessons in Respect and Community
A memorable incident from my childhood stands out. Weary from a long journey, I once failed to assist a man with his bicycle—a customary sign of respect in our culture. Little did I know, the man was my uncle. The repercussions of this oversight were significant, a lesson in respect and community norms that I've never forgotten.
The Power of Storytelling
Who needed TV when we had the 'Netflix of Nature' right at our family altar? Each evening, as we huddled together, our elders would unveil episodes from their adventurous life series. My favorite 'season' featured the episode where my father, cast as the unsuspecting cyclist, had a dramatic encounter with a male buffalo during a moonlit safari. My mother, the episode's narrator, insisted that this particular buffalo had an unusual pre-charge ritual: a courteous bow, as if saying, 'Pardon me, but I'm about to chase you.'
This story became the blockbuster of my childhood imagination, turning me into an avid fan of all things wild. It wasn't until years later, glued to actual wildlife documentaries, that I realized our buffalo star was more fiction than nature. I couldn't help but chuckle – turns out, buffaloes don't take etiquette lessons! Who knew? This revelation didn't dim my passion for wildlife, though. If anything, it made me appreciate the creative genius of my family's storytelling even more.
From Myths to Modernity
My childhood misconceptions were challenged when I moved to the city and discovered wildlife channels. Learning that buffaloes don't bow before charging was a revelation! This newfound knowledge has fueled my ambition to provide my mother with a solar-powered TV system. I dream of the day when I can share this window to the world with her, dispelling old myths with new realities.
