de ja vu

Last week, l experienced some de ja vu. I like the way that word just bounces in my mouth.

Anyways. De ja vu, l said. In Kenya, like in many developing countries, there are many tv and radio stations sprouting left right centre. That is
especially if you find yourselves in an environment where the media is encouraged to be. One of these tv stations is the oldest and with the
highest professional standards l know of. Yet with a new lot of reporters that has not been displayed. They have been too many grammatical
mistakes. Added to that is the fact that some of their reporters leave you hanging every time they do a story. I remember talking to their news
editor who defended the news reporter. I respected her for that. But this incident led me to wonder, " Why was l being so harsh with a young
reporter for trying to be like the veterans?" Two reasons. 1) Expected standards had been shot down. 2) Maybe she was displaying a situation l
had been before.

I have found out that mostly it is the later that is the issue. When l started what l am currently doing, l didn't have the papers nor the experience.
I am curious by nature. So l kept trying out things and getting messed up. Yet my supervisors were all kind enough to just allow me to be. They
knew that at some point l would require all the patience in the world to get to where l am supposed to be. This is not to say that they have
stopped. In fact, l always know that l have room to grow. Why then am l not offering the same to someone who badly needs it? Pride. That
realization humbled me. How many times have we criticized people as they tried to get ahead in their lives only to serve as discouragement? For
the longest time, l have prayed to God to help me not to be a discouragement to anyone trying to make it in this world. For all l know, l could be
telling the next president that he cannot be. And who am l to do that?

I guess each of us needs some encouragement at some point. I am also learning that from my mentors and especially the one helping me with
my papers. She is so patient. She knows that l haven't done any paper till now. Yet she cheers me on. This is a graduate from Rhodes for crying
out loud. That to me is encouraging. So l will seek to understand first before l am understood