“…While some of you insult me, get offended and take it so personally when you hear me mention ‘forever 25’,to me it means that proud teenage mother who gave birth at 19 (not that I am proud of early pregnancy ), but chose motherhood over abortion….”
That sounded like a well-rehearsed defense line for the Kitone singer Desire Luzinda, who on Monday, celebrated 25 years – yet again.
For those like Desire, who think age is just a number, it is not. Age is more than that. Each year added to you, if you are not mentally retarded, is supposed to transform your thinking and reasoning—change the way you look at things and above all deliver warning signs that your time as a child is up.
A few lyrics like Jay-Z’s in Forever Young may suggest that it is a cool thing to remain young. But it is important that one grows. The time a relative decided to stay forever young, he started doing really “young” things. At his accurate age of 60, he dated girls younger than his daughters; others you looked at and questioned whether they were his grandchildren.
When this relative had the “age is just a number” slogan sink deep into his ageing brains, he ended up having children who are our children’s age mates. Imagine an old man that old having to deal with the disturbing cries of babies in his bedroom.
So, really, stop it! What is this cool thing about hiding one’s age anyway? It could have benefits such as dating your young brother’s age mate but yet still ignite a feeling of vulnerability which has adverse consequences.
Certainly a number of smart brains would not believe one remained as young as they claimed forever.
I am not proposing that we all move with placards scribbled with the words “I am 30” on or get a painful “Age 35” tattoo printed on your forehead. I just don’t think it is fair to publicly disgrace oneself before actual age mates, old school mates, friends and parents who have happily settled and are growing older, while you remain stunted. The change we all desire starts with change in mindset and deeds.
ewatsemwa@ug.nationmedia.com
