As parents grapple with the placement of their secondary school children and the performance of the high schoolers, I paused for a moment to think about those parents and students whose expectations have not been met.

After completing my primary school education, I did not secure a place in a national school as I had hoped. I was deeply disappointed. As a result, I had difficulty adjusting my expectations, and finding a school I could settle in, in my early high school years. I finally completed my O-levels at Kisumu Girls’ High School. After the results were released, I learned that I had unfortunately missed the entry requirement into a public university by only one point. This marked the end of my dream of joining university.

I did not come from a well-to-do family, and consequently, it seemed to me that the die had been cast. From there on, I had to start from rock bottom and work my way up.

When I reflect back, I take note of some of the difficult moments of my life. They include not making it to a national school, missing admission into a public university by one point, missing out on my dream career, starting my working life at the lowest possible level, failing in business, and facing rejection. It occurs to me that I have experienced and overcome failure and disappointment.

My capacity to survive was harnessed.

I developed empathy and compassion for people who were going through the challenges of life. I learnt how to exercise faith in life’s difficult and uncertain moments, and developed the ability to relate with and encourage others facing the inevitable bends in life’s journey.

Something happens within you when you take time to reflect on every moment of your life, appreciate the challenges you have gone though, and take the life lessons gleaned from them. As you begin to connect the dots out of every treasure you are endowed with, and those you picked along the way, you will discover the rich treasure of experiences accumulated over the years. God will eventually use each and every one of them to fulfill His purpose through you.

Romans 8:28 All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.Safiri Salama!