"All it takes is one tiny moment of courage to shatter centuries of patriarchy. Hope you find the strength to realize your "self-worth," chin up, stand tall and walk away."May such women never cease to amaze. Hats off to you! May your tribe grow may they find the strength to stand up and walk tall and like you may they never cease to amaze.'' -(Made in Heaven)
Welcome Queens and Kings to another blog post. I do hope you are well. With mother's day just gone, I was inspired to reflect upon the mother figures in my life, the ones who have made such an impact in my life and that has hence left a positive dent in my character as a person. I decided to zoom in on their lives and derive lessons from them.
Kaka- the strong matriach
Who is Kaka? "Kaka refers to grandparents in the Hausa language" I affectionately called my grandmother 'Kaka'- a woman whose resilient spirit lives in me.
Insight into her: Rising from a village in Gombe State, Nigeria; My grandmother gave birth to 7 children with minimal help from her husband she worked hard to grow them up and offer them the little education possible. Despite not having European education she somehow knew its value and worked to send her eldest children to the best schools. Farming, local beer maker and being a mother to those around were our occupations. Neighbouring children knew to come to her hut for food, she never refused them. When she had to change settings and move from the village to Lagos, she rose to the challenge of adjusting to a strange environment; she made friends quickly and became a pillar in the community. Kaka basically grew most of the babies as she was their 'nanny' when the parents went to work.
Personally, she was my protector, quite literally-she never made my mother beat me more than thrice in a 'beating session' when I misbehaved (even though she also was complaining about my behaviour).
She had a fierce spirit- attacking the world's struggles face on, creating her stage in a novel space, making an effort to learn new skills even at an old age and never ever ceasing to show care. Kaka had depth of thought, she analyzed situations properly and was never afraid to express her feelings. This also made her a great conversator, I can remember our evenings on the porch at Badagry filled with us critiquing life, my parents and passing off our assertions on things. She left me with lots of lessons learned.
When we had to left her in Nigeria; she never stopped loving us- she would call each of our names in heartfelt & sincere prayer to God. She valued family and expressed love no matter the distance.
MY HUB- a fighter for the betterment
The women in whose womb I was cacooned in - My Mother defied odds and worked judiciously to attain a successful and godly life.
"I will not spend money for your education when you are just going to get married go get married instead of worrying about school' - (Her Uncle)
From birth, the people around her seemed to have come to a conclusion about who she could be-a village girl who grows, gets married & stays in the village with no substantial progress. Her determination and faith in God worked to refute that sentence. She also had to adjust to the struggles of a new living environment away from her immediate family but with the prospects of a better life. From having her primary school conducted under a tree on a mat she went on to attain a university degree and become a teacher. She takes charge & assumes authority when needs are; she has acted as a pastor, a community leader, a creative and a great mother to all
The lessons I learned from her: I should hand over my life entirely to God, request your heart's desires to him even if its the unpopular option. Be void of laziness Generosity & kindness as fuel I should be contented and accountable. Act to control what you can, be early to things and forever helpful. Work towards adaptability and never stop being an adventurer of life.
My Aunties around the Globe- the survivors
I have also derived lessons from The aunties from Nigeria to Jamaica to Canada that provide me strong support at unexpected times. They showed me that family is not restricted to blood relations. They never hesitate to offer service in an area you are proficient at.
I learned to actively seek ways to enjoy your present life, there's always something special to be enjoyed.
They showed me resilience: every day to offer aid yet they get up battling their wars.
These are the women in me; years of their great exploits summarized in a few words that are full of endearment & awe. These are my heroes: the matriarch, the hub and the aunties
I say a special thank you to all the women in me. Only God can repay your kindness & be. I hope to be even half as great you were or are.
As you have read, I do hope you pause to reflect upon the women in your life and their legacy for you.
Thanks for stopping by.
Never Stop Curating your best life
Y.E.N
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