NOTES TO MY CHILDHOOD

A Story by Natalie Wosu

A letter born out of reminiscences of my early days....

I was taught to give honour to whom honour is due and i shortlisted you amongst the very many things i should give honour to. You encompassed a great deal of my life. you were a phase of my life i couldnt do without. i had to pass through you to get to where i am today. i couldnt escape you, no one does. my experiences of you was a blend of salt and pepper. your memories are ever fresh like the morning dew. each time i think of you i cant help but tell remind myself that indeed one goes through life in stages and cant escape any stage because one prepares you for the other. you helped me learn and live. you shaped my life and prepared me for the stage i am in today. but the beautful thing about you is that you are priceless and those who have gone through life in all its stages and have probably left this world started with you. you are like ones first love. it all begins with you. it was with you that i learnt basic facts about life. during my days with you i had the very first understanding of different apects of my life and the people in it It was with you, my childhood, that i got to know that i am a girl named nneoma natalie wosu; that i am the only girl in my family; that i had black long hair; that i could eat,sleep,play,have toys,cry and do so many other things. with you i discovered that could sing, dance, act, write and have emotions like sadness, joy, happiness and pain.

It was with you that I got to appreciate the fact that I had parents who love me more than anything at all. Who gave me all I needed to keep me comfortable. Who taught me the ways of the Almighty God. Who gave me the best upbringing. Who shaped my life. Who taught me about life and broke it down to a language in which I would understand. Even in those tender years of my life, I was able to recognize the fact that I had parents who represented God in my life. Thank you.

It was with you that I got to appreciate the sweet company that I had with my younger ones whom my parents bore after me. Though I was quite tender, I loved them and played with them. As young as I was I cared for them in my own little way. I knew they looked up to me and I did my best to carry them along in all I did. They are my soldiers and I had to train them too to be able to defend my cause anytime I was in a fix. I got to know all that in my days with you. Thank you.

It was with you that I began to understand what making and having friends were all about. People who I just loved being around with anytime I am not with my family. People I played games with, people I joked around and played with. People who made my life very interesting and exciting. People who got me upset, people whom I offended, people whom I had quite some sort of connections with.

It was with you that I learnt that life is given by God. And that as humans here on earth, we have come to play our own part and leave when the time is right because of course, life is a stage. We are only visitors here. It was with you that I learnt that I would still grow and become a woman. I didn’t know what kind of woman I would grow into as at then but I had hopes to be a wonderful and great woman. I knew then that I still had a long way to go but I was patient and comfortable with still being a child.

Dear, its not easy being grown now. It really isn’t. things are more complicated than it was when I was with you. You didn’t offer me things which being grown offers me right now. It really isn’t so easy on this other side. Everything Is so different from when I was with you. I must tell you, sometimes I just wish I could get back together with you. Life with you was a lot easier, I had less things to worry about. Things like the way I look, the things I say, the people I offend, the people I care about and so on. Unfortunately I cant come back to you and believe me when I say it pains me sometimes. I still think about you, I always have, I still do and always will.

But guess what, I am ready. I am ready to go through what being grown up has to offer, infact I am already going through it. I knew this day would come when I would be writing to you in past tense other than the present tense I used to use while writing to you, but one thing I couldn’t do was to prevent it. You prepared me well, yes you did, and I am grateful… I know I would go through this stage and come out of it successful just like I came out of you successful despite some ups and downs I went through. I also know that the next stage of my life which I would go into soon would also be a god one. Afterall, the roots(you) are deep, so what is there to be scared of? NOTHING! I really do miss you so much but its okay, im good. I know you miss me too I mean we had a swell time. Hahahahaha….nobody may understand what I am writing to you but you do and that’s enough.

I could go on and on and on but I would stop here, you’ve given me enough time already since I began writing this so I wouldn’t want to bother you further even though I know you don’t mind… I woke you up from sleep but I would let you go back now….

You were and are still sweet….

Thank you for letting me know you….

Thank you for making my beginnings beautiful….

Thank you for listening…..