But I Smile Anyway…

Linda’s SoCS prompt

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “a phrase you grew up with.” Include in your post a phrase your mom/dad/grandparent/sibling used all the time when you were growing up, or just write whatever inspires you based on that phrase. Enjoy!

Coming from such a colourful background with where my family originates, culturally, as well as the locations they have lived, it means that there have been plenty of different phrases in a multitude of languages that have been used regularly. We have Punjabi phrases, English phrases, as well as Swahili ones since that is where my parents were born and brought up.

One of my favourites is most definitely Hakuna Matata, which is the Swahili phrase made famous by Disney with the release of The Lion King. It means no problem – a phrase used regularly in Kenya, where folk are so laid back they are practically horizontal!

A phrase bandied about a lot in my childhood as nothing was ever a problem. No matter what the issue, Hakuna Matata! It will get sorted out, don’t worry, just chill out! And I was even happier when the film came out and other friends of mine were suddnely aware of a language once foreign to them, and now a common phrase!

In Punjabi, Gadha, or Gadhe da Putar was another funny one. Gadha means donkey or ass. So calling someone a donkey or son of an ass when they were being particularly stupid or stubborn was a common one, too.

A common English phrase used is probably Don’t beat about the bush, because, as you know I do like a chat, and can go round and round before I ever get to the point!