One day, you will die, and the sun will keep shining
One day, you’ll die, and the world will move on like you were never here.
If you’re lucky to still have your mother before you leave, good for you. I once read somewhere that if you’re looking for unconditional love, your mother is the one to call. Even in death, your mother would love you unconditionally.
So, my dear, live today. Live for yourself. When you go to the world beyond, the earth will continue to revolve around the sun.
You know what my fear is? That I’d die and be forgotten.
Do I want the world to stand still and cease to function because I have transitioned to a more peaceful place? No. I just want to be remembered for who I was and what I stood for. I want to be remembered for how I loved. For what I believed in. For my values. I want people to see things, people, and places and be reminded of me. I want them to hear and feel things and be reminded of me. I want them to tell stories of me to people who never had the privilege of knowing me, with a weak or big smile on their face and maybe sad eyes in longing.
I want the memory of me to live on. Once upon a time, I wanted to be a Dr Dora Akunyili, a Mary Slessor, a Maya Angelou. I dreamt of living a big life, being the face and voice of a cause, and doing something revolutionary. Just anything to change the world positively and have my name written in history so that in years to come, people will be inspired by my heroism.
Do I still want that? Yes. But growth has taught me I can do great things in small places. I don’t need to be in the news or publications. I don’t need a large stage to make a change. A person to a couple of people would do. This knowledge has taught me to be kinder to people and remain my authentic self.
So I’ll say this to you again: live and spread love. When you die, your lover may move on to the next woman/man on their list and maybe nurse memories of you shortly before you’re entirely displaced. But you can rest assured in the box, or jar they’ll fit you in that someone somewhere would occasionally remember how you treated them with kindness and send peace your way in memory of you.
So again, I say, live life. Only this second is promised.
