ANYWHERE, IS A SEAT
ANYWHERE IS A SEAT
My first prayer time encounter in Saudi Arabia had me a little confused. The shop attendants shepherded us quickly outside, all the while yelling “Salah! Salah! ” ( prayer time ! Prayer time! ) I stood outside and stared around bewildered. Some of the women shuffled away. Two or three sat on a bench a few meters from me. An Arab man, dressed in the traditional gab appeared. He yelled in Arabic and motioned for us to sit down. His beard was grey and went up to his waistline. I later found out that he was one of the religious police. Where did he expect us to sit? The one bench I could see was occupied. The women around me sat on the floor. I stared at them; how can they sit on the floor at the mall? A minute went by and they were all staring at me. Then it dawned on me that the floor really was the seat. I sat down and gingerly crossed my legs.
A modern day mall, and we were sitting on the floor. This could easily be a market day, in a village, in Kakamega. Instead of shops, there are makeshift stalls full of live chicken clucking loudly, and all sorts of fruits and vegetables. And, the most natural thing in a village, on market day, is women sitting on the ground. Everywhere really is a seat. The market day I was having at this particular time was different, and yet the same as that one in the village. I giggled as I thought about it. This painting, at first glance, depicts just that.
However, there is a deeper message that I want to get across. The three women in the painting are seated on the ground. They are dressed in the same way, with sets of beads around their necks and some sort of sarong around their bodies. Their sarongs are faded, devoid of any print or pattern. Their faces tell a derelict story. The frowns are very evident, and it is obvious that the sun is beating them down, mercilessly. One of them even has their face downcast. They all look tired, unhappy, and maybe even miserable. Yet, when you look at the colourful beads they wear, the mood of the painting changes a little. Because of the colour, you begin to feel some joy creep in.
Anywhere, and, at any time in our lives, it is easier to just sit and wallow in distress. This is the same thing these women are doing. Each woman has a different set of bright colours around her neck. They are her identity. These beads make her stand out, and they add joy to this painting. In the same way, when we chose to be miserable, we forget that we carry the key to our joy deep within our spirits. That key brings joy not only to ourselves, but those around us as well. If you look closely at their sarongs, you will see a reflection of their colourful beads. This means that even in our misery, there will always be clues around us as to where our key to joy lies.
The next time you wallow in misery, remember that ‘Anywhere, is a seat’ and that the key to your joy lies within you. All you have to do is look at the clues around you.
