Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Today is my 60th Birthday

Today I am turning 60. I had a busy day and never really had a chance to think about it. In the morning, I was in Njombe, getting an update on the progress of Njombe University College. Then, in the early afternoon, I embarked on a journey to Mbeya, arriving only about an hour ago, this evening.

I might find a better time to talk about my birthday but a few thoughts crowd my mind right now. It is a priviledge to live up to sixty and I am grateful. I have to ask, however, what I have done with all those years. Hemingway worked very hard as a writer, receiving the Nobel Prize when he was in his mid fifties. That is a good standard by which to judge my achievements or lack thereof.

I want to think of the age of sixty as a kind of turning point. If I haven't accomplished much so far, I doubt if I will make up for the shortfall in my remaining years. Besides, I ask myself how many years I still have in this world. Could it be five, ten, or fifteen? I doubt if I will live another 60 years.

I am grateful for the good things I have learned and done and hopeful that I will have a few more years to make a positive impact on the world from which I have gained so much.

6 comments:

Simon Kitururu said...

Happy Birthday Kamanda!

Martin Mandalu said...

It is a short but very meaningful reflection on your birthday. Worry not about what you've accomplished so far, that is for the entourage to judge. What you have to do is keep on doing what you heart judges to be good and as usually the good Lord will bless you more and more...

hansom said...

Hongera Prof. kwa kutimiza miaka 60, si mchezo, Thanks to God.

Goodman Manyanya Phiri said...

THE WORDS OF PROFESSOR MBELE: “...I doubt if I will live another 60 years.”


Prof, Be Careful What You Wish For particularly after your recent trip to China... You Might Just Get Your Wish!


Rather than entertaining the notion of dying at 120, I pleasantly suspect one great advantage (YOU SHOULD PLEASE NOT MISS IT) in dying as young as your 60 to 80: the organ donation you probably wrote in your will or somewhere else should still be useful at 60 to 80.


I mean, should I be declared brain-dead in any one of the many car accidents of South Africa, I personally could do with (of all donors) Professor Mbele's grey matter. Except it must be the grey from INSIDE Mbele's skull but please not OUTSIDE or else my young wife will divorce me! (lol)


So: Happy birthday,Young Professor!

Shaaban Fundi said...

Happy Bday Prof. Mbele. I just stumbled upon this page. But, I feel like I know you already. I sure will be visit your website more frequently. Cheers!!!

Mbele said...

Thank you very much Shaaban Fundi, for your message. I am glad you discovered my blog, and I welcome you to visit it as often as you can.

I have also just visited your blog and read most of it. What great dreams you have for the education and development of our people. I will be following your work. Best wishes.