WINDHOEK – “Do not despise where you are now or where you have been, it is all part of the process,” is a notable quote from the book titled ‘The Process’ by young author Sesilia Nekwaya.
The writer takes the reader through her life experience – the good, the bad and the ugly.
The 76 pages of the book encourage young people, especially women who have been through difficult circumstances – including relationships – that every cloud has a silver lining.
In the introduction, the author sets the tone on her relationship with God which was developed in her pre-teens and how she strayed in her relationship with God. Occasionally, she makes reference to biblical scriptures to back up her motivation.
The author also states from the onset that she had ambition for both success and “drama”, the latter stemming from insecurities.
She shares with the reader the difficulties young people face in a world where it is so easy to follow the crowd.
It highlights the difficulties parents encounter with their teenage (and young adult) children who shun their advice and caution.
She also takes the reader through her painful journey on how her ex-husband walked out of their marriage, one week after tying the knot and while they were expecting their baby, which she says was all planned (baby and marriage).
Alone and hopeless she regained her strength and she relates how she had to forgive herself, her former husband and other characters who hurt her in order to be whole again. She also shares on how, after making a decision to see the positive in her situation, things started to change for the better.
“…It was when I told myself to stop, that the voices in my head also stopped. I stopped being the victim and I also stopped blaming myself,” Nekwaya writes.
All in all, the message she is driving home is that positive thoughts attract positive situations while negative thoughts attract
She also speaks of the ‘blessing of association’ and the valuable lessons her experience has taught her.
The author cautions young people to make positive choices in order to have a better future.
The book may have been written with young women in mind, judging from the writer’s tone and narration and as indicated in the dedication, however, older women will relate with the author’s message.
With the exception of a few typos, the book is generally well written and hooks the reader with the boldness in which the author chose to share her story.
I got the impression that the writer sometimes struggled to connect ideas in a coherent manner, however, that is overshadowed by the sometimes humourous tone despite addressing a serious topic.
The book is an ideal tool for Life Skills teachers to prepare learners for university where they have more freedom compared to high school.