NO MAN IS AN ISLAND

Some words of wisdom do not fully make sense until they resonate with you personally. One of those sayings is, “No man is an island.” I like the equivalent in my local language, “mutu umodzi susenza denga,” which literally translates to “one head cannot carry a roof.” We all need friends and family.

There is another saying I like: “Blood is thicker than water.” It is 100% true, but blood cannot quench thirst; only water can do that—unless you are a vampire, lol.

So, on June 5, 2026, we had a send-off for my beautiful bride, Nellie. It took place in Mzuzu, which is 376 miles (605 km) from our home in Blantyre. To put everything into perspective, the minimum return transport cost per person is K230,000 (about US$132). If you want to travel comfortably by coach, then that is another story altogether. That amount might be insignificant to some, but in the current Malawian economy, it is a lot. Imagine how much money would be needed for a significant number of family members to accompany you to such an occasion. We are talking about millions.

In the end, only four family members managed to travel with me: my mother, two uncles, and an aunt. That alone meant more than one million kwacha spent on transport.

Here is where my story begins. Although we did not have many family members travelling from Blantyre, we had friends who showed up, supported us, and boosted our morale. Friends who live in Mzuzu came to cheer us on. We even had a friend who travelled all the way from Mchinji just to attend the send-off.

To us, the function was not particularly big or a must-attend event, especially considering that we have our wedding in four weeks’ time. Yet having friends travel such distances just to be with us meant a lot. It showed the place we hold in their hearts. We also had friends who were willing to host other friends who had travelled for the function. That, too, is love. Busy friends in Mzuzu left their schedules behind and celebrated with us.

There is power in familiarity. Even the brain processes and interacts better with information that is familiar to it. For me, being surrounded by unfamiliar faces, even having a few friends around meant everything. That is where the proverb “No man is an island” comes in.

To have friends who are willing to leave their own commitments and stand by you means that you live well with them. As we say, “Khalidwe ndi chuma.” Let us always value friendship. We need friends. We might need them—or rather, we will need them. They may not always provide financial or physical support, but perhaps emotional or spiritual support.

I know I have many friends who, given the opportunity, would have loved to travel all the way to attend the function, but circumstances would not allow them. Such friends still provided emotional support, cheering us on through WhatsApp statuses, direct congratulatory messages, and other gestures.

Then there is the generosity of strangers. I had no male friend in Mzuzu to accompany me during the function, but when I approached two unfamiliar men, they gladly accepted. They were with me during the rehearsals and throughout the actual event. Honestly, they eased my tension.

And where was I sleeping? Another stranger—the kind of person we had never met before—hosted me in his house for the whole week. Mr. Mwambazi. Imagine leaving your house in the hands of a stranger and trusting that everything will be okay. Imagine that. That is exactly what he did. There I was, alone in the house while he was away at work. I stayed comfortably and caused no problems.

That experience reminded me of something I often tell people: you should have faith in people. Good people still exist. I know he accepted and trusted me because he knows my in-laws well, but it also took faith in the goodness of humanity to trust me. Such kindness and generosity are always worth acknowledging. He is very welcoming and ochezeka. God bless him.

All in all, my stay in Mzuzu further cemented my belief in the truth of the saying: “No man is an island.”