I did a 13K run this morning, probably one of the hardest this year but also most rewarding in decluttering the mind. Oddly, I did not see any #KOT runners (what is a little rain?) but I got talking to a 14-year old about his holiday plans (Just sports? Yeah, right)

I asked if he would be reading any books & our predicament soon became clear. The only fiction book he remembers reading at school is “The Pearl” and zero reading on his own. Wanting to find some common ground I asked how quickly he could reread The Pearl, so we could discuss it.

He said his top speed is one chapter (7 pages!) a day! Wow! This is a 14-year old! This means reading is hard work & mixed up with other things. Don’t even ask about comprehension.
I tried to see what else could spark his interest in books, and slammed into another brick wall.

In those few minutes I could see this kid slowly slipping from my grasp, to be consigned as flotsam in a sea of mediocrity. For the life in me, I could not come up with one title that could lead him back to shore. The tragedy was too real, the pain too raw.

This is my prayer. That we turn this tide and interest the youth in reading (& exercise/running). A good starting point would be having age-specific reading lists, and those books more readily available in bookstores, libraries & homes @PrestigeNBI @EliudKipchoge #IamKipchoge

PS: For more avid readers, there is a short essay “Jasmine” by V.S. Naipaul, and today I relived some of the sentiments it portrays.