How grandma’s writing career influenced me

It’s difficult to write about someone who had such a profound impact on your life. You feel as though every word and letter you have used hasn’t adequately captured the weight of the emotions you intend to convey. It is however humbling to have been given this opportunity to share my experiences with Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, cucu (grandmother) as we fondly called her.

As I was growing up, Sunday afternoons were eagerly anticipated. Family discussions at her place were often intellectually stimulating, intense and insightful. For all the distraction of the piano at the corner, there was something strangely appealing about the adult talks that went on and on the other end of the room. Over the years, they gave me the inquisitiveness to read on what was discussed and the longing to one day participate in those discussions. The topics were diverse and ranged from music to aviation, politics to history.