Life. Seasoned with perspective.
A reflection on resilience, perseverance, and the courage to begin again after life’s setbacks. It reminds us that every ending carries the possibility of a new beginning.
CR7!
Let me begin with a confession.
I am an unapologetic Cristiano Ronaldo fan, and I have been thoroughly enjoying the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
No, I do not intend to reopen the endless debate about whether Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi is the Greatest of All Time. By now, you probably know where I stand.
This past week, however, football gave me something far more meaningful than goals and statistics.
It gave me hope.
Portugal’s opening match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo left me conflicted. My African heart wanted to cheer Congo, but my football heart could not look beyond Cristiano Ronaldo. I watched all ninety minutes hoping he would find the back of the net.
He did not.
The match ended in a draw and, as expected, social media had a field day. While Messi was making headlines elsewhere, Ronaldo suddenly became the target of jokes and ridicule.
A few days later came Portugal’s second match, this time against Uzbekistan.
As kickoff approached, I found myself thinking, “It has to happen today.”
Six minutes into the game, it did.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored.
History was made.
He became the first footballer to score in six consecutive FIFA World Cups. Quite fittingly, the historic goal arrived in the sixth minute.
Portugal eventually cruised to a convincing five-nil victory.
But strangely enough, my favourite moment did not come from either of Ronaldo’s goals.
It came after the final whistle.
As he walked off the pitch, he looked directly into the television camera, smiled, and simply said:
“I’m back.”
Those two words stayed with me.
Because this article is not really about football.
It is about life.
It is about setbacks.
And it is about comebacks.
Life gives all of us moments worth celebrating.
It also gives us moments that leave us questioning everything.
Dreams collapse.
Businesses fail.
Relationships end.
Careers stall.
Health deteriorates.
Plans fall apart.
The question is never whether setbacks will come.
They will.
The real question is what we do after they arrive.
Scrolling through TikTok this past week, I came across a motivational speaker who made an interesting observation.
He argued that a person who has never experienced failure has no way of fully appreciating success. Without pain, he said, we struggle to understand perseverance, resilience, and gratitude.
Whether or not you agree with him, there is truth in the idea that difficult seasons often shape the strongest people.
The past few years have certainly tested many of us.
Economic pressures continue to weigh heavily on families across Kenya and around the world. Businesses have closed. Jobs have disappeared. The cost of living keeps rising while incomes struggle to keep pace.
Global conflicts, from the Russia-Ukraine war to the recent tensions involving Israel, Iran, and the United States, continue to affect fuel prices, food prices, and household budgets.
Many people are simply trying to survive.
For some, victories have been few and far between.
But history has taught us something important.
Human beings are remarkably resilient.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a near standstill. Businesses collapsed. Entire industries shut down. Millions lost jobs, loved ones, and livelihoods.
Yet many people found ways to begin again.
Closer home, Kenyans still remember the painful aftermath of the 2007 and 2008 post-election violence. Families lost loved ones. Others lost homes, businesses, and everything they had spent years building.
Yet somehow, many rebuilt.
It was not easy.
It was not quick.
But they rebuilt.
History is also full of remarkable personal comebacks.
In 1985, Steve Jobs was forced out of Apple, the very company he had founded. For more than a decade, he watched from the sidelines before returning in 1997 to rescue the struggling company. Under his leadership came products like the iPod and the iPhone, innovations that transformed not only Apple but the entire technology industry.
Closer home, Optiven Chief Executive Officer George Wachiuri once lost what was then his entire life savings, about fifty thousand dollars, during an early real estate venture. Many people would have given up.
He did not.
Today, his success story continues to inspire thousands of entrepreneurs across the country.
Stories like these remind us that failure is rarely the final chapter.
Sometimes it is simply the chapter before the breakthrough.
Perhaps that is why Ronaldo’s simple declaration resonated so deeply with me.
“I’m back.”
Not because he scored goals.
But because those words represent something every human being longs for.
The student who failed an examination.
The entrepreneur whose business collapsed.
The graduate still searching for employment.
The family rebuilding after loss.
The parent wondering how to make ends meet.
The young person quietly battling depression.
Everyone deserves their own “I’m back” moment.
So if life has knocked you down recently, remember this.
You are allowed to pause.
You are allowed to heal.
You are allowed to start again.
Your current season does not define your entire story.
One difficult chapter does not determine how the book ends.
Because sometimes, the most powerful words you will ever say are not “I succeeded.”
They are simply:
“I’m back.”
About the author
Kibisu Mulanda is a media executive and strategic communicator with over 20 years of experience in television, NGO storytelling, and youth-focused content. He is the Acting Head of Switch Media Ltd and teaches media at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC). A Certified SIYB Trainer, he blends storytelling with strategy to drive social impact.
About the Author
