#parenting

of racism and our red milk of human kindness.

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“How is your knee today?” The elderly man [whom I will name baba] asked him “Better, it’s less painful.” Young replied cheerily “Oh, you remembered. Thank you for asking” I said to baba as the minus-1-degree icy cold shook my body mercilessly. “Yes, he was limping the other day and could barely walk” baba responded … Read more

enslaved. abused. deported. a tale of the vulnerable migrant.

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“One more footstep and all these will be over” Hajara looked at the sea entreatingly “You are too young and still have your life ahead of you” her heart remarked “What life does she have? Is this a life?” her head jeered “This life. She is here. Things can turn around, you know” “Ever the … Read more

watch me live, survive and thrive without you

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          Little Kifi, the fish, gleefully sprang up into the air, gulped some air and flipped her tail. Then dived back into the ocean.

Swimming leisurely along, she reminisced on her recent encounter with another older fish, Azu.

“Your life is tied to the Water. Outside of it, you cease to exist”

“Must be a pitiable state to live” mused Kifi as she recalled the conversation with Azu.

Although, Azu was white and bent with age with glazed over eyes, his senses of hearing and touch were still razor-sharp.

The Renegade

Meanwhile, earlier that day, Azu had noticed Kifi join a school of others who went by a funky name. They tagged themselves ‘The Wokes’.

Led by a renegade herring by the name of Eja. Recently, Eja has began to stir up discontent among the younger school. He encouraged them to become daring. Do more. Be more. Crave more. Eja sold the idea of how their lives in the ocean was boring and there was a better life out there on the shores.

Furthermore, at odd hours when he presumed no one was watching; he would swim away from the sea bed, close enough to the shore to watch the fishermen.

Also, his eyes twinkled when he saw the humans pick some of his mates out of the waters. They never returned. Eja’s mind dreamed up all colourful scenarios about life outside. And as is the nature of unsatisfied yearnings, Eja began devising a plot to follow the humans to their exotic lands.

The Caution

However, Old Azu heard about it and went in search of Eja.

“I hear you are dreaming of killing yourself and taking other naive fish along” he began

“Who have you been talking to old one? Eja chuckled

“My source is not important. I have only come to remind you that there is no life outside of these Waters.”

“Get a life old man. Your limiting mindset stinks. No wonder your life is boring. If there is no life outside why do the others who go away not return?” Eja scorned as he glided away

“I promised your father to do my best for you” Azu had gone in search of little Kifi. “This thing with Eja will only lead to trouble” cautioned Azu

“Thank you Old Azu. You have kept your promise to my parents. I can now take care of myself and know what is best for me” Kifi replied cheekily and dived up again for air.

The scapefish

Then that evening, old Azu woke up to a cacaphony.

Eja was surrounded by an angry school lashing out at him.

Turned out he had led a team towards the shore so they could feel the sand on their skin. They did not see the net until it closed. Kifi was among those captured. Her cries were the loudest as she wriggled frantically inside the net. Eja had no idea how he raced back into the safety of the water. From that vantage point, he stared helplessly as Kifi and the others finally suffocated and lay still.

As Azu approached, Eja hung his head in shame.

“I tried to rescue her” he lied

“I tried to warn her about you” Eja angrily remarked

“Constantly reminding her that there is no life outside of the waters. In it we live and move and have our being”

 

If you like this. You will also like https://amarannaji.com/navigating-anger-and-faith/

#principles #statutes #itishowitis #rulebook #deviants

 

cancer missed this birthday

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“Amara are you crying?”

“No, you are not”

I shifted under the Comforter in bed. Sniffling.

“What is it?”

“Why are you crying now when you are almost drifting off to sleep?

I sat upright as the strains of a song filtered into my room from the hallway.

‘God You’re So Good’ A Duet by Passion, Kristian Stanfil & Melodie Malone.

That song always gets me. However this night was different. I have been a mesh of emotions for the last week. And it culminated today when I was writing that letter to him.

You see, tomorrow is my son’s birthday. The threshold of his teen years. A new phase of life entirely. This morning before he went to school, I did what mothers across generations have always done. Laid hands on him and prayed out the old year. Reminding God of how grateful I am. And thanking him for the helpers, teachers and guides he has positioned on this boy’s path for this new season of his life.

Then in the afternoon, I wrote him a letter. It is not even that I will give him the letter. I left it inside a journal he barely uses. And left a caveat that I do not know when he would find or read it.

Writing that letter though, unlocked a surge of positive emotions. As I regaled him with stories from way back, a fresh realisation of how blessed we have been floated all around me.

This night again, I paid him a visit where we played and laughed on his bed.

Then laying in bed, I hear the words of this song weave through the air. And I can relate to every lyric.

His Goodness is why I am here, alive for another birthday. If God had dropped the ball, who knows whose house my son would be in this night? Maybe I would have been like that woman of whom my mother always recounted her story. The one people find her ghost wandering around. Yet each time it was that one question she asked anyone – “did you see my children? have they eaten?”

Both of us have lived the experience of God’s faithfulness in all shades. From the day I found out I was pregnant, I have not lacked for anything. God has set up a community around us so much so that even in a strange land, dealing with cancer, he remains our portion in this land of the Living.