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The first Monday of August came, and as usual we walked around the neighbourhood and met friends. We charted all the way back and parted in the evening. This day was not like any other, given that unknown to me it was the last day I would spend with her as my friend. Her golden hour had come as the sun was looking on the earth with a big thud of anger. If things had been what I thought they would be, this day would not have come at all. For all the time that I had spent my time with her, she laughed and joked about; recoiling the shadows of an unknown eternity. I had been used to such episodes, but this day was not so bright. Had it not been that she was my strength I would have wept.
Tuesday came and I woke up earlier than usual because it was setting an important part of my life – meeting Christine. I looked forward to her sweet smiles. I went to her home and found an unusual agitated crowd. I later learnt that she was no longer with us…the clouds had snatched her away. She went away with much about me, and I, little about her. Our knowing each other was not enough.
I forced myself to believe that she was gone for a short while and would be coming back soon. Ten minutes later, she had not appeared at all. I wished it was just a bad dream. But it was not so, she was gone. I had to grapple with the reality of that loss. Yes, she was gone. I squeezed my eyes but they were already dry. Was she really gone? In my second futile attempt to weep, I realized that I had no more tears left. I looked up in the skies and sobbed, "Why me God?"
Christine was a person who was reserved and knew where to step. I did not know whether she thought I was inconsiderate and a burden. She was slowly dying and suffering from cancer. She had made me realize know how desperate it is to live the last moments. While in the college, she spent a lot of her time investing and saving for her future unaware that her life would be trimmed in the bud at the moment she was about to commence her indefinite sojourn.
As we were in 'deep thought therapy' reflecting our past, she had at one time told me, "If I my life comes to an abrupt end without putting the less fortunate in my heart, I would die a saddened and jailed person, even in death." Then she continued, "I have only one life and I think I have lived the best that I could. How I wish I could change time! Many a time, my instinct would yell at me for not taking more time to avoid living a life dictated by the modern teachings which advocate for humans to mistrust each other and not live their own life as they should."
Looking at her talking, I could not understand whether she considered her life a waste or an accomplishment, yet to me, she looked as though she had already made a big leap in her life and the right choice. She had already prepared something inside her heart but could not fully make it as her life was coming to an end.
Yes, she was gone…gone with a part of my heart and it’s too late for tears. How unfair is death! It only goes for the unripe fruits leaving the ripe ones to flourish. How clever is it? This has transformed me into believing that there are those who are born luckier than others but still go through the same predicaments: pain and suffering then death.
Christine passed away on Monday night having accomplished most things in life. Wherever she is, she always beckons me, and her angelic voice reminds me of how we tend to take the present moment for granted and live a life of torture as we try to put sense into our future, and almost either ignorantly or innocently forget our present lives. It is not always wise to wait and sit as today goes to sleep while waiting for tomorrow when we cannot account for the day that was.
Since our future is so uncertain, we have to be concerned that we cannot afford to be so precise at the expense of today. Although it is important to be punctual we should not worry a great deal especially if we cannot confront our tomorrow.
Christine’s passing left a mark in my heart that would never be erased. I wonder how many of us do take their time to do things which are important and live once a day!
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Writer Profile
Mbũrũ
I am a researcher on educational issues especially in the rural areas, with much emphasis on girls' education.
As a trained journalist, I have a lot of concern with the handling of the education sub-sector in Kenya and take a critical role in viewing the reforms currently being conducted to integrate education structures for the sake of the youth in Kenya.
One major aspect, sadly, is that Kenya has been sovereign for over four decades but has been the only African country besides Somalia not to have made education compulsory, free and basic. For Somalia it can be understood - the country had been in civil strife since 1992- but for Kenya the politics of the day have played a negative role in reducing the promotion of education to a system sheer competition, instead of progressive
Apart from that, I write fictitious literature.
Currently I am working on prose on love and betrayal and a collection of poems.
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