Growing up in a small town, I had always been surrounded by the love and support of my community. They had been my rock, my guiding light and my source of strength.But it all changed once I left with my father to his new home. I went through a journey of ups and downs, highlighting the assertive nature that shaped me into the young adult I became. And these were caused by this new family of mine.
From infancy, I was taught the importance of family values and the significance of sticking together through thick and thin. My mother, a very hardworking woman instilled in me a belief that family comes first. She showed me how to be assertive in my decisions and to stand up for what I believed in. like the time I saved a dying plant and gave it new life.You're asking yourself how a one year old could understand this. Well, I was spirited and we grew up so first. We were born with a great cognitive understanding from birth.
It would usually take two years, but I took one month. I mean I was totally different in every aspect.My father, a man of few words but immense wisdom. Or so everyone thought, had been everyone's role model. He taught his family members the value of hard work and perseverance. Growing up, I witnessed his unwavering determination to provide for his family and keep it on top. Though at this time, I was almost not part of it.He took long hours at the courts, sacrificing his own needs for the sake of the kingdoms wellbeing.
This assertiveness of his is what kept me pushing for my goals in order to strive for greatness in all aspects of my life.My step mother, Malaika, on the other hand was the epitome of love and compassion. Her nurturing nature created a warm and welcoming environment in this new home, especially for me. She was always there to listen, to offer advice and to provide a shoulder to lean on. Her assertiveness lay in her ability to protect her loved ones, ensuring that we all felt safe and loved at all times. At times I thought she did this for my wellbeing. But now that I think about it.
I can't help feeling sorry of how naïve I was.From this new home, I found out that I had two siblings. These played a great role in my future. Whether keeping me in misery or making sure I was happy. They were total opposites.
The eldest was a girl, called Hirwa. She was three years older than me. Hirwa was fiercely independent to the public eye, but if she was near Malaika, she would be such a spoilt bitch that it annoyed me so much. Malaika also weirdly entertained her stupid tantrums.She was an assertive individual with a bulk load of confidence. I wanted her to be my confidant but we were almost like love rivals in our home. Hirwa always stood up for herself and never settled for anything less than what she thought she deserved.
Her assertiveness always irked me. But now that I think about it, this might have been one of the guiding forces in my life, pushing me to strive for excellence and to never back down from any sort of challenge whether I had support from anybody or none at all.
My young brother, Nkunda, on the other hand was the total opposite of Hirwa. Nkunda taught me the importance of patience and understanding. He was just two months younger than me. This made us on most occasions look like we were twins. He was also spirited. But his spirit was of a warrior. He had hard shiny scales on his torso that would accompany him for the rest of his life. But they were still tiny since he had not awoken his spirit yet unlike me.Nkunda's assertiveness lay in his ability to express his emotions and to communicate effectively.
From him, I learnt the value of having an open and honest communication with those around you. Wish I had noticed this a bit earlier. He fostered a great sense of trust and unity.Throughout the years, I and Nkunda had faced numerous challenges, but our assertive nature had always prevailed. We had weathered storms together, supporting each other through thick and thin.
Our bond only grew stronger with time as we learned to appreciate the unique traits and qualities that we shared.This was my new family. It would be the backbone of my existence. I thought their values would shape me into the person I would be in the future. They had taught me the importance of family values, hard work, compassion and effective communication.
I will always be grateful for their unbridled support and love. Though they say you never know what's in everyone's mind.Everything started changing towards my ninth birthday. This made me wish my mother was around. So I could at least cry in her bosom. It started with my stepmother finding out that Hirwa was not spirited. She was already twelve years and there was no sign of her ever acquiring a spirit. It was long overdue. Malaika stated looking at me weirdly, like she blamed me for everything that happened to her daughter.
She kept saying that I took all of Hirwa's blessings from her. She started calling me names every time. So I decided to avoid her.
Hirwa was even worse. She would bully me knowing fully well that I couldn't retort. I couldn't tell father since he wasn't around most of the time. And he was always so tired when he came back. And also, how would I even start to explain to him. I was pretty sure he wouldn't believe me. After all, we all knew he loved me only because I was spirited. Or else, he wouldn't have picked me from home.
Nkunda also started to pull away from me. He wouldn't play with me anymore. It was like he was warned against ever getting close to me.
But who am I to blame him. I mean, he was young and programmed to follow his mother's wishes and commands.
This made me so sad.
But little did I know that the worst was yet to come.