Graduation Day
October 25, 2018
Kimuka School
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
However meaningful you consider your life might be, there’s always another place you long to be. You are never satisfied because the ego convinces you happiness will be found once you pursue the next undertaking.
Do you feel that way? That you are unhappy and longing for something more, whether it is a better relationship, improved financial conditions, a better career or more material belongings? Yet when these things arrive, you are only satisfied temporarily. Soon enough, the excitement vanishes and off you go, looking for the next adventure to keep you captivated.
This was part of the message the Choice Club members and the rest of the school received from our guest speaker, Mr. Charles Macharia, at the Graduation Ceremony held at Kimuka school. The school being Christian-based, we were requested to bring in a minister of the gospel who would put a Christian perspective into the message of the day. He quoted scripture verses to help the girls live a life worthy of God’s calling and one that would help them remain true to themselves. He gave them 5 instructions to ponder on even as they close school for the December holidays. They were:
Live in the present moment- When we are not living in the present moment, we are either regretting the past or worrying about the future. But will regretting the past change that it happened? Do we have the ability to control something that hasn’t even taken place yet? Of course, because the answer to both questions is ‘no’, all that we are left with is the present moment.
Focus on one thing– Remain focused on one thing at a time; finish it to completion before moving onto the next task. This exists as a natural extension of living in the present moment.
Make changes today, not tomorrow- Delaying our participation in intentions we’ve set for ourselves means that we are essentially delaying our purpose.
Be of service to others– Our ultimate purpose is to serve others, for it is in the act of service that we find the greatest potential for fulfilment
Practice– Practice growth every day. We can move far beyond the limitations presented to us by our body by practicing spiritual, mental, and emotional growth.
Shiners School
At Shiners School, we had a different kind of graduation. We had games, music and entertainment from the club members. The highlight of the day was a play by the club members on F.G.M. I was quite impressed with the girls’ performance, because that was the last lesson they were taught, and they, therefore, had time to put a play together. It was very well-acted, it focused on the dangers of the cut and early marriages. At the end of the play, the girl who had been forced to undergo the cut dies and there is mourning all over. The play was so real it left most of us in tears, it was acted in the Swahili language. The guest speaker of the day, Ms. Deline Ambala, spoke to the girls advising them not to take the mentorship program for granted because they will be required to put the skills they have learned into use in their future. She also advised the Form 4 students, who would soon be sitting for their final exams, not to panic when they are in the exam room. She advised them to accept the outcome of the exam results regardless of the marks received because they have all worked hard, and not to get into risky lifestyles after the exams because there will definitely be life after Form 4.
We later cut the cake, shared the lunch that the girls had cooked, and the function ended around 5pm after the graduation certificates had been issued. It was a very nice ceremony, and the messages we received from the girls was a clear indication that the lessons have been of help to them.
We appreciated the Form 4 students from both schools by giving them Success Cards from the club. We had three of the club members receive awards from Kimuka school for improved grades and good behavior-that was very encouraging to the rest of the club members.