by Njeri Kagiri

Created on: September 30, 2009

My Morning Music Man

I take the same route to work every morning and on most days, a few metres from the office, I'll start thinking about a certain man that really fascinates me. I wonder whether he'll be at his usual spot, I hope so because I will get to see him, I wonder if he will wave at me and smile. Most importantly, I wonder whether he will be singing.

Most of you that don't work in my building, or don't take that 3 minute walk must be wondering what I'm talking about. Some are more interested in the, who. Perhaps if I tell you a little bit about him; you may understand. I don't even know his real name: so let me call him October! (Ha! Ha! I looked around my desk and that's the first word that caught my eye. So, poor man the name is stuck. Mr. October).

So, every morning on my way to work I will spot Mr. October (well maybe not spot, I'll be looking out for himJ) and he will be smiling gaily, and singing loudly songs of happiness and love. I know this because he sings in my mother tongue. Sometimes, he'll look up and wave and then keep on singing almost like he doesn't have things that would make him unhappy. But that's just it! He does.

Mr. October lives next to my office building. His home is a wall, shielded by lots of grass, paper and any part of the fence that surrounding gardeners trim. During the sunny season his home looks disturbing but stable, but in the last few weeks it's gotten shorter and shorter as the rain beats down the dry grass and paper. I once asked why he lives there and discovered that he has no family. A while ago, when his 'neighbours' tried to move him, they failed because they had nowhere to take him. He is a man with no home, no family, probably no-one looking for him, no stable roof, no guaranteed meal, but one loud happy song!

While my mind is clogged with complaints about the things I don't have, worries about the things I must get, nagging over the stuff that I deserve, he's happily singing the morning away and just like that, he reminds me that every new day is Gods' gift and whether you spend it happy, irritated, singing, fighting is really not about how the rest of the world is treating you; or how it sees you, or what it has dished out/not dished out to you. It's about whether you decide to sing, smile and wave. It's about whether I chose to not worry about the things that God can handle (which is everything!).

do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?' Luke 12:22-26

Crazy or not, Mr. October is my wake-up call every time 'the happenings of life' threaten to steal my song. Some days the rain may beat down our homes, we may lose valuable people and things my prayer is that we shall not cower away in the corner and cry; but that especially during those times, we will brave the cold and SING!

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