The little child 

Today I was watching some movie and it got me thinking about the little child confidence.

 Back then we did not care about people’s opinions and did not let their words get into our head. We let our bellies hang, walked around with sand in our hair  and smiled with bread crumbs on our cheeks. Not that I am saying we should do the same but just think about it, how care free we were, how genuinely happy we were just being us and doing us.

 Tell me, don’t you miss that?

Just being you and not trying to be someone else .We played in groups but still remained true to ourselves. We were not scared of asking for help when we were not in a position to do a certain task .Back then we would talk in front of a crowd and  not get anxious . Is my belly showing, am I pretty enough and am I cool enough for them to accept me?  These were some of the things that would never cross our minds, those were the days when someone offended us and all we would was to cry it out but still play with them because we had forgotten about it and forgiven.  We did not keep grudges. But something happened, we grew up and we let some mean comment someone said get to us. We let it define us and that was when we lost that little child confidence. The constant worry of what someone will say about you, whether they will think you have a big tummy or you are not pretty enough. Always trying to impress someone and in the middle of all that we lost ourselves.  Always seeking validation from others, giving them the permission to determine your value yet that is your work. Where did all that self-esteem go to, did we let people lower our confidence.

 Don’t you think it been long enough? 

Well  it has been  for me and it’s about time I find that little girl in me , the one who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind ,the one who would never let anyone walk all over her ,that little girl who looked in the mirror and knew she was the prettiest girl in the block ,that little girl who never let anything get to her  and believed anything was possible . She is who I want back. Because with her by my side I’m pretty sure my dreams will be achievable. You should try and regain that child within you. 

   By Wangari Mwangi