The Little Girl in Me

I don't understand half the terminology here
Would it be bad to ask what that acronym stands for?
People looking all kinds of professional
Hairstyles and eyebrows on point
No room for my student shoe-string styling
In a room full of titles
and representing organisations I've only admired on the internet
Here they are
Human
Not just a smiling photo
What comes out of their mouth
is clever and relevant
My itchying hand stay firmly on my lap
Followed by regret
as I hear my question being asked by someone else
I've googled half the people in this room
Can't believe it is me now with them
What could I possibly contribute?
These are serious decisions about serious things
Things concerning the entire country
What a platform
What an opportunity
I immediately resolve to work hard
My country needs me
To google the acronyms
To bug Taramusi to explain those terms
Write everything down
even if I will receive the presentation by email
Write a list
I can feel my brain stretching
On the outside I am confident and sure
On the inside the little girl in me stares in awe
Thank you God for expanding my territory
I will work hard
Let me start by listening

Comments

Saving Mandy

When you have influence, it is your duty to stand up for others and help others up too We had so much in common. We were both born and grew up in the same sleepy hometown of Bulawayo, almost same neighborhood. We attended the same high school, some years apart, but both proud and loud Convent girls. At some point, we must have taken the same Parklands surburb bus from City Hall to home. Our siblings almost same age-groups; our families and friends intertwined all the way back to roots in Dombodema rural home. We both went on to study medicine, she did dentistry, I did MBChB. But eventually we both did a masters in Public Health in the same programme at the University of Zimbabwe. We both got married and set up home in Harare. Bulawayo girls stick together when they arrive in the big bad city. When I had Anashe, she had Siyabonga. We were both pregnant in 2018. Being senior medical professionals we both had access to the “best” medical care. We both had Cesarian Sections...

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