A Must Read

“The two ridges lay side by side. One was Kameno, the other was Makuyu.” I remember the first two sentences of Nguji Wa Thiongo’s The River Between like yesterday. Those words have been lingering at the back of my mind since I read today’s prompt. The first ridge would symbolise the ways of the black man; his traditions and religion. The second, a people who had picked up the white man’s ways of life; education and christianity. It represents a people who embraced mordernity.

As young ladies with hearts that had mostly not been mired by the pains and complexities of life, that didn’t know the beauty of love and it’s ability to rip one’s heart out, we sat in class discussing the love between Waiyaki and Nyambura. A love that transcended all bounds. Theirs was a kind of love that crossed over River Honia. Theirs was a love that dared to unite Kameno and Makuyu. Did they succeed? Not really. This beautifully woven story ends with the two love birds given over the to the Kiama for judgement and punishment. Imagine being punished for loving🙈

Have we not all been punished for loving? Haven’t we felt Love’s pangs in one way or another? Hearts have been shuttered to the tiniest of pieces in the name of love. Yet love still holds the power to bridge every impending river between. Love still holds the power to heal our hearts, hearts that have been wounded by those we love and have loved. Regardless, we believe in love for we were made to love and to be loved. The taste of love is still sweet, one that every heart craves.

That’s not the book I desire to recommend you today. Nguji Wa Thiongo’s The River Between is only but an introduction to the story on my heart. It’s quite similar to it in alot of ways. My next story starts with a love so perfect. A love so true. But like all fairytale love stories, there’s a river between. Something dared to come between that love. And what did the Hero do? He set about to woo the heart of His beloved back. To show in a thousand ways the boundless love He possesses for Her. No matter how much the Hero loves His Heroine, He leaves her the option of choice, for her to choose to be loved and love back. He willingly stands on the sidelines with His unrequited love and won’t force His beloved’s love. Love is not love if it’s forced. Ever read a piece of writing and desired to commit all of it to memory? That’s this story for me. Bits of it linger in my mind. The beauty of this story is that it never loses its charm. One can always pick it up.

My book recommendation is not just one but a collection of books. They are 66 books in total, the Bible. You will see how sin separated God and the people He loves. How He has done everything possible to bridge the river between. He sent His son to pay the price for our sin by dying for us on the cross. Yet His love gives us the option to choose Him for ourselves. Love gives the beloved the choice to choose. To choose Jesus as Lord and Savior of one’s life. To choose the life eternal we get through Him. Today I Invite you to choose the love of God by accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Then get a church near you where you will be taught more about God and what this relationship you have entered in means. Until next time, stay blessed.