Diary of Mr 30

FRIDAY
My wife can be so pushy, sometimes it gets to me. But I also understand her point of view. She feels if you let things go unresolved before long you won’t remember what actually caused the issue in the beginning. My wife is big on making sure issues are resolved before going to bed. Of course, she doesn’t always follow that rule, but most of the time that is her principal. So since this issue of the kids schooling has been a bone of contention for a few days, she insisted this morning that we talk it over before we let another day pass.

SATURDAY
My wife asked me yesterday how it was apart from outside family pressure that I came up with the idea of uprooting the kids from their so-called English schools and moving them to a missionary school in one of the growth points or villages. The truth be told, it all started because of pressure from mbuya and sekuru. However as time passed, I saw that they had a point. You see Diary in my mind it makes no sense to claim to belong to a culture or a tribe of something, yet you know nothing about it, you can’t articulate its beliefs and worst of all you cannot communicate in the language demanded of that belief system or culture. Yes, it is great that my kids speak English and can write it and can articulate the customs and culture that goes with the English Language. But they are also Shona and they stay here in Zimbabwe with a family that speaks Shona. So it makes great sense that they should be able to articulate the Shona culture and customs as well as speak the language.

After all it is a part of who they are. My wife is English and I am Shona – period! I am glad my wife agreed with me on the issue that the kids have to know both sides of the family well. Their heritage no matter which section it comes from should not be debatable. She, however, felt that my sudden outburst and threat of moving schools was a little harsh and unnecessary, especially that it was done to the kids directly. She felt that I should have given them time to rest after the new experience of meeting their grandparents for the first time in a totally different environment from what they are used to. She also said that the issue with moving schools was not an issue, but she wanted to know why we cannot work on them while they are in their current schools. She said that after-all the schools they are in teach all the local languages, so we could make sure the kids take up all those as subjects too. She said in terms of learning the family culture, that is something we as the family should be doing and not expect any school to take that up. She also pointed out the fact that since the kids were doing so well in class it made no sense to move them.

SUNDAY
I was very sober in church today thinking about how blessed I am to have a wise wife. One of my friends has a wife who is very beautiful, but lacks in the brain area.

MONDAY

So Diary this evening, I sat my two older kids down to discuss the school issue. I started off by apologising -yes, my wife said it was important for the kids if I show them that I am not too proud to say I am sorry when I have to. She said it would show them a good example of what being a man is all about. Yah right! But I did it anyway, and for sure I watched in amazement as their faces lightened up after that. It made me seem more approachable. The truth be told Diary, I do not feel I have to apologise or explain anything or any decision I make. My dad never did that and so we all grew up with that mentality. But honestly when I look back, I see that we were not close to our dad at all. He seemed to us like a cold man. I know he tried his best to give us a good life, but he was so unapproachable. I do not ever remember him apologising to us or our mother for anything.

TUESDAY
Oh yes, it is a brand new day. Things are always better when there is peace in the home, although it does not last forever because there is always someone wanting to start something.
WEDNESDAY
Sho, it seems like winter is over and summer is coming in. Eish, the seasons are changing and it does not feel right at all. I am starting to panic a little since we planted something on the farm. I think I will have to spend more time irrigating, just to make sure we have a good crop harvest time. We also have to complete preparing the land on the other side of the farm before planting season hits us again. THURSDAY
I spent the whole day in the fields, much to do and so little time and little hope of great reward. I must, however, get a great reward this year because this loan needs to be paid.
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