Mama’s strong voice

“He said he loved me”; Tania was saying with tears in her eyes
But all he wanted was to eat the forbidden fruit… I knew it was forbidden cos’ Mama said never to touch it until harvest time.
I loved the way he looked into my eyes, he called me by a name my parents didn’t think of giving me- that name suited me just right. Yes I was beautiful. His beautiful…
We were just two of us in a world of our own…he was holding my hand and I was holding his…I knew I was safe…I was always safe.
But not today…he wasn’t holding my hand; he was sending his fingers on evil errands. I said stop! He mumbled something like “…no beautiful…I can’t”.
His strength was overpowering… I said; “please, let’s do this right, let’s do this at the right time”…now I was screaming…what had come over him?! He was all over me. “You love me don’t you”? “Please let’s wait till harvest time…” I was begging now with tears pouring out of my heart. I knew it wasn’t harvest time… Mama said harvest time was also a time to rejoice…
Something came over this man…I didn’t recognize him anymore as he forced himself on me…I was no longer safe.
All the while I kept hearing Mama’s strong voice… suddenly that strength filled my heart and I overpowered the beast…I ran into the clouds… I needed safety…
My name is Tania, I’m safe in the truth…I’ll trust again!

KOLA

I don’t think there was a day I didn’t see Kola laugh or smile
He was shaking a friend’s hand and he was laughing,
He was writing a memo and smiling, or at least not frowning,
He was talking to people and he still had that pleasant disposition on…
Did anything ever upset Kola? I wondered each time.
Kola would step into an atmosphere, and he carried with him an amazing ambience… oh yes he lessened the tension…
You didn’t know it, but you always wanted to be where Kola was.
One Monday morning, someone came with a message for Kola, it wasn’t good.
I told this fellow, “please don’t tell him…” I didn’t want that light out…
But he gave it anyway. I heard Kola storm out of his office, I followed him
Calling after him, I guess he didn’t hear…
I got to where he was, he was standing over a man lying on a stretcher, I went closer and put my hand over his shoulder. He turned to look at me and smiled with tears in his eyes… his friend just had an accident.
He took his friend’s hand, and said to him “when all of this is over, don’t stop smiling, Never”. That was his message to a man in pains…
As I drove Kola back to the office, I asked him why that was his only message to his friend?
He said to me “you are never broken if you keep your heart merry”. He paused for a while, then he continued; “one has a choice to stay happy or sad. Life is short, and in this short time here, I choose to stay happy and I tell you I’ll never be broken”.
So that was it… a happy man is never broken…that was Kola’s secret…it soon became mine.

the stare

I would see him every day on the hallway swinging his arms and clap them together… I wondered secretly then hoped I won’t see that same act the next day. Oh no! He did it every morning, even till noon day!

Each time I walked into the building, they would salute, “big aunty”! I knew I wasn’t big as per size, but I soon realized they did that for a reason… hmmm…

Every morning we saw, she would ask; “how was your night”? One day I realized I never did ask that question back, so I decided to do that the next morning… oh well I did, and I got her life’s history in five minutes… pheww!

Oh boiled groundnut is my best fruit! My sister never failed to remind me… one day I decide to get it after work. “How much does this go for?” I ask the sales girl, and she just stares at me… I should have asked again, but I didn’t. I stared back, then I begin a conversation… this girl once had dreams like me!
– – – – –
This man is insane, but he isn’t getting any help yet he lives in a building with a million sane folks!
These young vibrant men used their uniform as license to beg for money from seemingly big aunties!
That young lady just needed someone to talk to, if only I had asked n’ listened earlier; she would know not to always return to that way of life each time a need arose!
That young dreamer turned groundnut seller, has now learnt to dream again… just by a stare!

Life’s biggest lesson… “Don’t only look, see”.
Today I tread a new path that people now walk on… daily, I live for someone!
Paula
17.09.12