By Lukoye Atwoli PhD via FB
To all the teachers who had impact on my life:
My father, who is out there when I am in here!
Mrs Murembe: As small kids we rioted when told she couldn’t continue being our teacher when we moved to Std 2; she had to make an exception for us and continue with us for another year!
Mrs Estambale, who ensured I figured out Maths after falling behind when I skipped Std 4 second and third term and Std 5 first term!
Mr Ochuka, the Headmaster who diagnosed ‘boredom’ when I was playing around in lower primary school, and prescribed that I should move from Std 4 first term to Std 5 second term, assuring everyone that I would be just fine. And I was! And I am!
Mrs Muriuki, who, in High School, ensured that I nurtured my writing talent, and who endured my insufferable arguments about how nobody knew what the writer meant in poetry or literature, and how any interpretation was right as long as it was logical!
Ms Kiio, who contributed to my still pretty good rendition of Swahili sayings and proverbs.
Prof Mengech, who saw the glimmer of usefulness in me, and nurtured the flame to whatever it is today.
Dr Sisenda, who saved my irreverent self from vendetta on the very last day of medical school!
Dr Kathuku, who actually supported, read and red-lined every single page of my MMed Thesis.
Dr Frank Njenga, who pointed me (and keeps pointing me!) in the direction of my destiny.
Prof Dan Stein who saw the potential in the rambunctious young psychiatrist at a Nairobi conference, and convinced me to join him in the exciting journey I’m still on, of figuring out the Who, What, Where, When, and How of mental illness!
Prof Karestan Koenen who is still teaching me how to write, how to bring passion to my work, how to keep winning!
Ron Kessler, who continues to teach me how to lead.
All my students who have taught me patience, perseverance, and humility!
All my patients who have taught me to celebrate big and small gains!
Maureen, who has managed at least two cases of complicated Asperger’s without (and perhaps because of the lack of!) the requisite training, and taught me love, and how to love.
Alubala, Anyanje, Yimbo, and Junior, who continue to teach me how to lose, how to compromise, how to let go, and how to trust in the process.
To all my teachers, YOU, and everyone I have interacted with in my learning journey, I say a huge THANK YOU!
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