TRULY, YOU MADE A DECISION
I sprinted down four flights stairs, two at a time, out of habit. I lived in an apartment within this building, one of several that were owned by the city council. Rather than taking the foot paths, I took the shortest route possible, crossing patches of grass and dodging in-between flats, all the while headed towards the main gate. I shopped bi-weekly and at the moment, I was rushing to the market. I had to get there before the wholesalers left.
You see, I had learnt at an early age, how to get bargains. I would always wait for sales before shopping. I knew which supermarkets had weekly sales, monthly sales and seasonal sales. I knew the prices of most household commodities off-head. I knew the differences in prices between the up-town supermarkets and the ones downtown. I knew how to save a shilling.
I used to love hanging out with my friends. Collectively, they were fun, noisy and full of jokes. Together we would seek out the latest clubs and the newest pubs, looking for new friends to make, more fun to have. I loved flashy clothes and stylish shoes and I always smelt nice. We all did. At any event, it was not hard to spot us. We always looked like we had just arrived from a fashion shoot in Milan. And this was the sole reason that I saved my money; to stand out from the crowd. Everything I saved, I spent on clothes and shoes. I was young and foolish.
I made it to the gate and came face to face with one of my friends. He stared at me in shock. I had not seen any of them in a long time. Thirteen months to be exact. I smiled uneasily at him. He continued to stare at me, truly lost for words. I wore stylish boots and funky jeans. I carried a kikapu (granny’s basket) and an infant was strapped traditionally to my back with a sarong. I was now a mother. I had changed my ways. I had stopped clubbing. But the shoes and the clothes remained. He continued to stare at me and my baby with his mouth agape. He said the following words to me, very, very slowly, and, with much amazement, ”Truly, you made decision!”
This painting is a celebration of motherhood and how it changes you completely. When you look at it, your eyes first move to the child on her back. Every time we meet people with children, our focus is undeniably, upon the child. I show this by the flow of energy from the child into the atmosphere. The little boy looks curious, as does every other child his age. The baby on her back looks peaceful. The mother looks resigned, drained of energy. All the peace within her has been transferred lovingly to her children. In return, she has absorbed the restlessness from the young ones, telling herself tiredly, that she will recharge her batteries soon; just as soon as they fall asleep; her little bundles of joy.
