Life in The Wings of A Giant

Born in the outskirts of a beautiful village in Arusha (1955), my father is the second son to a phenomenal woman. His youth was painted with the onrush of scenery — forests, rivers, wildlife. The happiest memories I have of my childhood revolve around my father’s narratives of his life as a young man.

At an early age, my father discovered his passion for History and teaching. His life is a refreshing display of accolades he received while majoring in African History. Over the years, his life has centered around shaping views on African history — as a historian’s life ought to.

The year 1989 was the milestone to my family’s history. It is then that my father met his wife. Like most love stories, they fell in love, got married and started a family of their own. Since then, he has been the man we look up to for wisdom and inspiration.

It is said that a father is “neither an anchor to hold you back nor a sail to take you there but a guiding light whose love shows you the way”. I feel this sentiment best captures the kind of man my father is. His certainty and trust on my ability to navigate through life is always accompanied by a guiding light aimed towards the paths I choose.

Growing up in the wings of a Giant, I embraced the notion that the world is a sea of knowledge just waiting to be discovered and to live a full life one must be willing to take deep dives. Whether it’s over dinner, phone calls or car rides my father never shies away from a chance to instil a sense of curiosity. I hold a deep fondness of how different our views are — which often makes for great conversations!

When I was a little girl, I loved listening to my father narrate stories of his life. I remember being fascinated by the hilarious and adventurous characters in his stories — and in some days horrified by the strange ones. Like most talented storytellers, my father often set the scene before his narrations. His specialty — Oil lamps in a dark room — entailed horrors vivid enough to last a few decades.

Through his views on life and the unique way he associates with the world, my father has gifted me the greatest gift anyone could give another person — my curiosity, sense of imagination and an appreciation for life. Our home is where I first felt the perfect tranquillity of life — underneath the wings of a Giant and in the comfort of books from his library. I take pride in knowing that I am my father’s daughter!