Why are hustlers usually so happy?

Hustlers, by nature, rarely make enough money to make ends meet. Yet, they go on with their lives, are healthy and have a smile on their faces, often brighter than what sonkos sport, and rarely fake.

Unless it is during a funeral, you’ll be hard pressed to find a distressed hustler.

This happiness among hustlers has perplexed the rich and affluent. Ideally, hustlers should be unhappy, worried about the future, but rarely are they. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that some of the rich and affluent miss the life of hustling.

They never realised its beauty until they left it. Barring a catastrophe, most never return to this ‘golden life’. There’s something fascinating about meeting new people in a matatu every day, unlike in your lonely car where the only stranger you’re likely to meet is the policeman stopping you.

So what’s the source of hustlers’ joy?

From personal experience and from watching hustlers, they derive their joy from many sources. One is their valid dream that one day their lives will improve. And most do improve their lives; they’ve seen many change their lives for the better. Further, with most hustlers being young, they drink from the well of optimism.

The other source of their joy is friends. They have plenty of them. They share their joys and their sorrows. Such friends are there when things are good and when they are bad. They stand by them always; sometimes they are closer than brothers or sisters. With such friends, they form chamas or merry-go-rounds that help them beat the formal system that charges interest or asks for collateral.

The other source of joy is religion. Most hustlers are very religious. What they can’t get from their fellow human beings, they believe they can get from God.

Proud lot

The fact that hustlers eat from the sweat of their brow also makes them a very proud lot. Without lots money, they don’t try to finance expensive lifestyles through loans or fraud, leading to stress. They are too busy to try and keep up with current trends.

Contrary to popular belief, hustlers save a lot, but little by little, which gives them an extra layer of security and joy. A hustler who makes money selling cakes had an interesting confession: “Most hustlers give themselves small achievable goals, which make them feel nice when they achieve them, instead of aiming for the sky and frustrating themselves.”

Needless to say, hustlers have strong family ties that give them pride and a sense of belonging.

Neglected by the Government and seen as a nuisance, hustlers pursue their interest with pride and joy. The feeling that they can take care of their needs without anyone bossing them around, and having control of their time, their finances and lives is a great source of pride. That pride is a dream for many who can’t stoop down to a hustler’s level.

Despite the perception that hustlers are suffering, lots of them enjoy a healthy emotional and physical life, rarely suffering from diseases of development. Yet, no one recognises them. They are the nation’s invisible people, only noticed when votes are needed.