Vincent Muli Kituku, PhD, (www.kituku.com) is an author and an inspirational/educational speaker. After hearing fellow speaker, John Alston, share his plan to write a book focusing on how goodness must be taught, shared how his father taught him the importance of respect. His father would often share a Swahili proverb that says, "Heshima si utumwa," meaning "Respect is NOT slavery." But his father brought that message home in the following experience:
I was admitted to the University of Nairobi in early September 1981. When I received the admission forms, I noticed that I was required to get a signature from a government officer from my home place. The official was to confirm that the admission forms were filled and signed by the right person. It was not a problem for me to get an officer because my father knew the magistrate.
After filling out the forms, my father took me to the magistrate’s office. When we permitted to enter his office, I led as my father followed. There were two seats across the table from the magistrate. I took one seat after handing my admission forms to him. My dad faced the magistrate, bowed to him, then proceeded to sit down. We were not inside the courtroom, so I figured there was no need to bow.
The magistrate exchanged brief greetings with my father and went through my forms without looking at me or saying anything. After signing my forms, he handed them to me, again without a word. I thanked him and stood up to leave.
My father, who was sitting near the door, also stood up. But, instead of leaving the office, he turned to me, held my neck and bent it. I got the message. I had to bow. He bowed, too, and we left the office. I was humiliated. I felt angry. I wondered why I didn’t do it before I was forced to.
Thank you Vincent for the poignant lesson and for sharing both the pain and the blessing you experienced in learning it.
What painful lessons were you taught in your home that are now a blessing to your life?
