My Take On It: Grandparents rule! All over the world making awesome descendants

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. – Proverbs 22:15

And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. – Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:26

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. – 2 Timothy 1:5

My parents, late Ambassador N.W. Mbekeani and Mrs. L. Mbekeani, God rest their souls, were the greatest people that ever lived in the whole world. But growing up as a child in good old Ndixville (also known as Ndirande), I soon learned they were not alone in their greatness. They too, had parents, whom they revered, and as children we learned to call them grandparents because they were Mom’s and Dad’s parents. Yes, parents too, have parents. And all over the world this setup paves the way for making great and awesome descendants.

Parents teach, admonish, reprimand, scold, chide, encourage, inspire, reassure, cheer, support, assist, and nurture. They beam up with great pride when they see what you grow up to be. Most importantly, parents have bucket loads of friends, acquaintances, and people they have helped along the way that jump in to give you a helping hand in your professional or personal life.

When as a child growing up in Ndixville, and learning about my parents also having parents, the big lesson included the fact that dad had his set of parents and mom had hers; thus while my brothers, sisters, and I only had a mom and a dad, we had four grandparents: Grandpa Justice Kennedy Mbekeani and Grandma Nanjinga Mbekeani on dad’s side, and Grandpa John Moses (Mose) Chikankheni and Grandma Eddey Thipha. These sets of grandparents taught us stuff. A lot of great stuff for living life greatly on this planet.

From Grandpas’ Jars

·         Do not pick fruits from the fruit tree before they are ripened, fully grown.

·         At church we give money (however little) to a guy called Jesus. Always have money to give, do not come to church empty-handed.

·         Always dress in your best dress, shirt, trousers when going to church because you are going to be in front of God. We learned that God was too big to be seen with our small eyes, but that someday, we will see Him when we get to heaven.

·         If you do not have fertilizer to put in your garden, take cow dung or chicken droppings and ashes over them for a week.

·         For young boys, when going out in public, always make sure you tuck your shirt inside your trousers. This is to ensure that people do not mistake you for the thief they were chasing.

·         Only dish out food that you are going to finish. Do not overload your dinner plate; it is better to come back for seconds, than to overload your plate and you do not finish the food.

·         No food is ever too little to share.

From Grandmas’ Jars

·         When eating a meal, eat vegetables first, then eat meat, chicken or fish.

·         Never eat meat, fish or chicken without eating vegetables. If you do, your food will just “sit in your stomach, without going anywhere”!)

·         When a baby is crying, take the child and put him/her on your shoulders, patting them on their back (the greatest magic trick every parent should learn).

·         When going behind your elders, always say “excuse me, please.” (I later learned that this ensures that the elders know there is a human passing and you will not scare the daylights out of them, making them jump out of their skins!)

·         Do not drink water while standing (this is especially true if you are a pregnant woman – “your baby could be born throwing up water all over the hospital bed.”)

·         Do not jump over fire, play with fire, or put hand over fire. All these are hazardous and not safe for human skins.

·         Do not talk with food in your mouth. You can choke to death. (I am still here and living because as much as I love to talk, I have followed this rule; I do not talk while I have food in my mouth).

·         Wash white and blue clothes separately from other colors.

From Grandmas’ and Grandpas’ Jars

·         When you get up, at least wash your face if you cannot take a full bath.

·         About your teeth, always brush your teeth in the morning before you eat. Always brush your teeth at night after you eat.

·         Never call an adult or someone older than you by their first name. This is rude. If you only know their first name, then address them as Miss ________ or Mr. ________.

·         Always be very mice, kind, and respectful to people. Many years later either they or their children will remember you and would treat you, your children, relations, or friends in the same manner.

Happy 60^th. Anniversary of Republic status, Malawi!

Happy 62^nd. Anniversary of Independence, Malawi!