On Loss !

Talking or even writing about death scares the shit loads out of me. It seems like a taboo in my books. I do not know where this originated from. I honestly cannot pinpoint whether it's the African culture that flows through my blood or the religion's view on death that makes me this scary. Maybe it's because most of us believe that we talk or in my case write about death, we jinx it. First of all, Shindwe sana! So even drafting this article is an uphill task for me. But I will forge on and say what has been on my mind and heart in the past days, weeks, months, and years. So here goes nothing ...

We, humans, have a habit of forgetting things easily, and more often than not, the death of someone we know reminds us that we are mortal. It reminds us that life is short, and we are temporarily here on this beautifully God's green earth. 

Death somehow reminds us not to be too uptight with life, because, at the end of the day, we are here for a short period of time. To give you context, when I visit a new town or place that I do not call home, I try as much as possible to make the best use of my time there. Maximize interaction with the locals (which does not come so easily for me because, of introversion and social anxiety... but with time, this has improved. Also, for some weird reason (blessing) people really like to talk to me about themselves) I would want to explore their renowned tourist and local attractions, and I would like to try out their food, and their people (okay, this is clearly a joke) and so much more because after all, I am there for a short time and sometimes, I am not sure whether I will visit the place ever again. You catch the drift, yes? So, to my point, death reminds us that we are tourists to the earth, only here for a fleeting time. So we better maximize each hour, day and week we are here Makes sense?

Death reminds us to prioritize what is truly important to us. It reminds us to intentionally live and pursue what we truly want, because, after all, we are here for a good time, not a long time. (Hello Drake's fans). It reminds us to tell the people that we love how much they mean to us and show and treat them with the love, respect and appreciation they deserve. 

It goes without saying, death causes so much grief and pain to the bereaved! So my heart goes to family, friends or lovers who are going through grief at this particular time.

This short article is a tribute to my cousin Chelaa who recently passed on! Rest in peace Cousin!