I grew up being made fun of my brown teeth. I had white teeth once, then they fell out and what grew out next were big rugged uneven teeth that started to turn color the minute they got out of the gum.
People told me a there is nothing beautiful about a girl with brown teeth.
One teacher, when she found me kneeling next to the headteacher's office(coz I had been caught singing in class during prep.
I was probably just showing off or bored or having adolescent issues) The teacher asked why I kneeling.
I didn't feel like telling her.
She wasn't in my class
So I just smiled
And she said
How dare you smile at me with such rotten teeth?
I stopped smiling, she went her way, I shrugged but then I started smiling again coz she didn't get her answer to her nosiness anyway.
My first day of high school
I had just met some new girls and we were happily talking then a girl who had been in my primary school but now a class ahead paused in front of us and instead of saying hi.
She exclaimed
Gosh Shishilia those are such ugly teeth!
I didn't smile much after that.
But I did some figuring
My uncle, the first man I ever loved had brown teeth. But he was funny, he worked hard and he took good care of me and granny. So you could have brown teeth and still be a human being.
I also realized my teeth didn't pain . And when I had my first dental appointment he said my teeth were quite clean.
I had been brushing my teeth furiously all my life.
My mother supplied me with a toothbrush three times a year as well as a bag of sweets to last me until her next visit.
I would brush, carefully every morning and every night
Then I would tuck in two large pieces of candy into my mouth and get into bed. Mwana no mwana.
Anyhow. I also learnt that I loved other part of me. I loved my fingers, and my hair when I washed it and it came out in dark brown curls.
I also loved my nose because it was large and not tiny or flat.
And I was happy with that
As long as everything worked why stress so much about it and in any case I wasn't trying to win a beauty contest.
Then one day a girl in my class said
Wow Cecilia you have such a beautiful smile.
I said
Really? Thanks.
And I went to have a look in the mirror and sort of believed her. So I started to smile more.
She set me free.
Years later I read a book that had a teenager in it who was worried about something in her body and someone told her- you cannot have it all dear, but one thing is sure, if one thing is not right then everything else is perfect.
And I see that in many instances.
Someone might have terrible skin but they've got hips from here to Moyale.
Or another will have bad eyesight but gal those nails!
(I write something about guys here but I'm not sure I wanna say it)
Because we are not just one thing.
We are a whole lot of other things.
People told me a there is nothing beautiful about a girl with brown teeth.
One teacher, when she found me kneeling next to the headteacher's office(coz I had been caught singing in class during prep.
I was probably just showing off or bored or having adolescent issues) The teacher asked why I kneeling.
I didn't feel like telling her.
She wasn't in my class
So I just smiled
And she said
How dare you smile at me with such rotten teeth?
I stopped smiling, she went her way, I shrugged but then I started smiling again coz she didn't get her answer to her nosiness anyway.
My first day of high school
I had just met some new girls and we were happily talking then a girl who had been in my primary school but now a class ahead paused in front of us and instead of saying hi.
She exclaimed
Gosh Shishilia those are such ugly teeth!
I didn't smile much after that.
But I did some figuring
My uncle, the first man I ever loved had brown teeth. But he was funny, he worked hard and he took good care of me and granny. So you could have brown teeth and still be a human being.
I also realized my teeth didn't pain . And when I had my first dental appointment he said my teeth were quite clean.
I had been brushing my teeth furiously all my life.
My mother supplied me with a toothbrush three times a year as well as a bag of sweets to last me until her next visit.
I would brush, carefully every morning and every night
Then I would tuck in two large pieces of candy into my mouth and get into bed. Mwana no mwana.
Anyhow. I also learnt that I loved other part of me. I loved my fingers, and my hair when I washed it and it came out in dark brown curls.
I also loved my nose because it was large and not tiny or flat.
And I was happy with that
As long as everything worked why stress so much about it and in any case I wasn't trying to win a beauty contest.
Then one day a girl in my class said
Wow Cecilia you have such a beautiful smile.
I said
Really? Thanks.
And I went to have a look in the mirror and sort of believed her. So I started to smile more.
She set me free.
Years later I read a book that had a teenager in it who was worried about something in her body and someone told her- you cannot have it all dear, but one thing is sure, if one thing is not right then everything else is perfect.
And I see that in many instances.
Someone might have terrible skin but they've got hips from here to Moyale.
Or another will have bad eyesight but gal those nails!
(I write something about guys here but I'm not sure I wanna say it)
Because we are not just one thing.
We are a whole lot of other things.
