• ashirk@gmail.com
  • Kijabe, Kenya
musings
The Good Life

The Good Life

I received a phone call from Papa yesterday. “Habari,” he said. “Nzuri,” I answered, quite shocked. He continued, “Jambo,” and I answered “sijambo.” He was pronouncing the words absolutely perfectly and I asked where he was learning Swahili.

“At the liquor store from the Indian lady who used to live in Kenya.”

Keep in mind, this is in South Carolina, and her daughter goes to Harvard – the world is small and fascinating!

I emulated Papa when in Kenya, telling cheesy jokes like he would, always making the first move to introduce myself and smile. He is naturally shy, but goes into pastor-mode when he is out and about, exuding energy and smiles, making connections, building bridges, offering prayers, advice, and friendship. So many times I thought how happy he would be in Kijabe, how he would have love a certain moment or interaction!

I was at my friend Andy’s house, watching him separate sunflower seeds from the plant that grew in his garden. It occurred to me that a big part of my happiness in Kenya was because I was living a mirror of Andy’s life. They live smack in the heart of Bluff Park – one of those neighborhoods where everyone knows each other and the kids are free to romp every day until dark. Andy is a jack of all trades sort of guy and has about a jillion projects going on – but like me, he looks after the kids while his wife works a normal schedule. Andy is great about never being too busy to have a conversation. . .he makes a big point to get involved in the lives of his friends and neighbors. Part of his method is to be outside: working in the garden or walking the kids to school.  I learned this lesson in Kijabe – when you walk, you stop and get to know people. Our girls love to play with his, and it’s a rare day when they don’t have 5 or 10 kids playing in the backyard. Andy is also big into renewables and self-sustenance, whether it is the garden or rain barrels, or the plans for solar water heaters. He is about pragmatism and big dreams – we have this or that resource – how could I use it to do something I want? My favorite moments in Kenya were spent when I was living like Andy. . .maybe the best moment was the afternoon I spent with William, googling plans for a solar oven and a rocket stove – both ideas I learned in conversations with Andy before we left.  I pictured Andy there with us, dreaming big and so excited about these little tools to recycle and use natural means as the solution to a need.

Matthew Boyle, one of my favorite people in the world. He was in my Sunday school class, but despite (or maybe because of)a few years difference in age, we have become good friends. Matthew is a tinker – endlessly clever with a love for building, tinkering, and big cool science. He introduced me to Tesla coils and gives me lessons in materials engineering an quantum physics. We had lunch yesterday and I realized that Matthew and my Kenyan friend William are twins born on different continents. Their quick smiles and laughter, love of learning, brilliance and resourcefulness. . .I hope they can meet one day!

In religion classes we used to talk about “the good life.” I see a great picture of a life well lived in these and so many of my other friends. It is not necessary to go to the ends of the earth to have the good life. . .but going to Kenya did help me realize that I need to shift a few priorities and live more like these wonderful people, and most importantly that I need to make more time to hang out with them!