Of Christmas turning slaves into kings and the January Disease

The floods that rocked Dar es Salaam last week seems to have failed to water down this year’s Christmas celebrations as many people did it in style. For once, I thought many people will not participate as they will be busy trying to come to terms with reality but it seems as if many people put their problems behind to enjoy themselves.

As usual, entertainment joints were a hive of activity as many people took the chance to spend their hard earned cash. I had a chance to visit many areas and I have no doubt that people have the capacity and ability to enjoy until they forget themselves.

Christmas comes but just once a year and in many cases people strive to make it a day to remember. This is usually done through things that are unique and out of the ordinary. This is the reason some people drink beers in a manner they have never done it before. Some will visit resort areas while others confine themselves to their homes.

My heart however bleeds for some people who out of reasons beyond their control fail to celebrate it in style. I remember that visiting rural areas during this time will make you a mini hero as people will be looking up to you for many things.

In the remote part of the country where I hail from, those from urban areas, no matter how young they are, are respected and many people are expectant whenever they come across them. They believe urban areas where we come from are like heaven. Besides asking you a lot of questions about the urban lifestyle, they want to be associated with you.

Many of us lose it when we visit the rural areas. Even if we don’t have money, we will by all means try to pretend as if we have it. And, to those who drink beer, they know that once they walk into a bar, their old friends will be waiting anxiously for you to buy them some beer. Even those who don’t know you will also pretend to be your friends so that they can benefit.

What these people don’t know is that life in urban areas is difficult and beyond the reach of many. They also are not aware that sometimes you survive on one or two meals a day for you to make ends meet. They don’t know that there is an animal called inflation that continues to eat away your meager salaries.

They also don’t know that you have to wake up early in the morning to engage yourself in a tug of war for a place in a daladala for you to go for work, that electricity is expensive, water is gold while everything that is not your, you lay hands on, will have to pay for it.

And, your status suddenly changes when you board a bus from the city to rural areas where you graduate from being a servant to a king. That’s why many people love to spend their holidays in rural areas.

Lessons I have learnt from my experiences so far have shown me that what is important when it comes to this day is not what one has but the level of satisfaction. The rural areas bring sad memories to me because besides being adventurous to spend the Christmas holiday there, it pains to see some people struggling to force ends meet. Some children can be seen roaming around in tattered clothing on that day and a closer look at them usually shows that they will in actual fact be enjoying themselves.

So, no matter how little these people might be having what is important is that they enjoy the day and have what they call a day to remember in their lives. Don’t get me wrong dear reader I am not saying they don’t deserve better lives and things during the celebrations but what I am saying is that they have no option but to be content with what they have. As you read this article today, it is Boxing Day and it is the time when people open their presents. I hope we took our time to give than receiving during this festive season. The Bible says that it is blessed to give than to receive and this principle has seen many people being blessed for simply extending their hands.

It is also my hope that you are not reading this article with regrets. Many people become over excited to the extent of losing focus and end up doing things that they should not do. They end up throwing themselves in hot soup of which it will be difficult to come out without being burnt.

So many people have contracted the deadly virus (HIV) during these periods. Some have died while others due to excessive use of alcohol ended up driving drunk and caused the deaths of innocent lives. Let’s continue taking care of ourselves as the festive season is yet to be over. It’s never too late to save a life.

Again, I will keep on repeating that there is something called January Disease. We should also try by all means to run away from it. The best medicine for it is to budget your finances well and avoid unnecessary expenditures.

Many things will be awaiting your little pocket come January. Children will be in need of school fees, a lot of money will also be needed to buy uniforms, books and other school requirements, landlords will be waiting for their rents and the family will be in need of money for their upkeep.

The problem is that this disease is so widespread to such an extent that everyone will be suffering from it and in the long run there is nowhere one can borrow money. Your friends will be in the same predicament and will not be in a position to help.

Let’s therefore watch our spending this holiday as its effects will be felt heavily next year. For those who spend a lot of money when they visit their folks in rural areas so that they can be called heroes while forgetting that January with all its need will be awaiting them, they will have a rude awakening.

Let’s enjoy ourselves to the fullest but we should do it with hope and vision that life has to go on come January. Bongo Blast takes this opportunity to wish you all a happy and prosperous 2012. And may God guide you and bless you through out the year.

bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/symeniah.blogspot.com/0657651300