Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Reflections

I always wondered what I had to say when someone asked me who a true Christian was, and I've been at sea for sometime. Then I stumbled upon a piece written by Maya Angelou about being a Christian, it made a lot of sense to me, so I decided to share it. Here it is...

When I say I'm Christian
I'm not shouting I'm clean living,
I'm whispering I was lost, now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say I'm Christian
I don't speak of it with pride,
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say I'm Christian
I'm not trying to be strong,
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say I'm Christian
I'm not bragging of success,
I'm admitting I've failed and need God to clean up my mess.

When I say I'm Christian
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are too visible but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say I'm Christian
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches so I call upon His name.

When I say I'm Christian
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner who received God's grace, somehow.

what do you think?

Friday, February 20, 2009

Will you still love me...

Will you still love me,
If I told you...

I may stop whispering your favorite " I love you?" (Though I really do!)
I may stop complimenting your hair, beauty, clothes, and hair-do?
I may leave early for work, come home late, and admit it was business? (and traffic?)
I may work late hours and wake you up just for sex?
I may not speak when troubled and just shut up?
I may be boyish sometimes? (I'm a grown boy, really!)
I may have a character I find difficult to quit,
and I may not want to hear you tell me how to stop it?
I am just being a man?

Will you take me for who I am?
Or what you wish me to be?

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Voices Along The Pathway

The sun beats down
On the African plains
And slowly, but steadily,
I make my way on the dusty path
To the base of the *Wala mountain
To strive to the top
(The very top I mean!)
And there they stand
By the pathways they scream and loudly whisper
"That's Impossible, *Onyeee Ofee, *Wontumi Nye"
Voices of confusion,
Discouragement
And Evil.
Throwing dust into my eyes,
Throwing sand, at me.

The journey is long
My feet are sore,
My throat is parched
And for a drink I long.
It's mid-journey
The end is not in sight
But I can't stop now,
So I push on.
But they are there too!
Screaming and loudly whispering
* San wakyi, *Kuu Osee
And they throw stones at me,
They hurl stones, at me.

I hit a wall
My strength is drained
But an inner voice pushes me on!
Almost at the top,
The sides are steep
My palms are sore
From clinging on to ledges
And preventing myself from falling
Into the dark abyss below
The end is in sight (It's far, though)
I can do this!
But alas!
Ever present voices of discouragement
Fling rocks at me,
They hurl rocks at me.

Finally, I stand
At the very peak of the Wala mount
Tired, but smiling
Weak, but fulfilled.
With renewed strength,
I stand out tall,
I look down at the pathway.
And I see how far I've come.
I still see them,
The nemesis of success,
But hey, I can't be bothered!
Cos they are down on their knees,
Bowing down, at me!

Tswa. Omanye Aba!


(*Translations: Wala means "life" in ga.
Wontumi Nye and Onyeee Ofee are twi and ga phrases for "You can't make/do it"
San Wakyi and Kuu Osee are twi and ga phrases for "Go Back")

Friday, February 6, 2009

The Untold Story

They ask,
Always they ask,
What have we got?
Have we got a legacy?
A history?

Reminiscing the days of our leaders
Obunumankoma, Oson and Odapagyan
Leaders so great
Who had typical African blood
Fought for their people, And had their names earn places
In vigorous war chants

Golden names of crowned heroes!

Going back to the days
When the albino was obeyed
With fear and trembling,
When no man, had balls, to say "f i"
She stood out tall, and fought
Showing the "mighty warriors"
That courage is not only embedded on a man's heart.
Nana Yaa Asantewaa,
Brace mother of Black Africa.
Your name is in Gold
Distinguished daughter of Africa,
Ayekoo!
Ayekoo!!
Ayekoo!!!

We fall,
We rise,
We fall,
We rise, and rise again

King Taki Tawiah, Nana Osei Tutu, Ayi Kushi
Proud holders of enchanted memories
In Red,
Gold,
Black,
And Green.
Have we a story?
Sure! We do!
let them ask,
But I know,
The holders of African history,
Have willpower too strong,
To rest on their oars.
So arise, arise, arise!
Authors of history call upon you,
To rise up and take hold Of your renaissance.
For it is only your children,
Who can change you.
Sleeping Mama,
Wake up.

When they ask,
I'll say "Modin ji mi."
and I'm proud to be African!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

The Importance of the Unimportant!

I know a lot of you will write this off as one of those “silly jokes” of mine, but it is quite serious. It may sound quite trivial, but let it happen to you and you will know that it is not a laughing matter, and it is also important!

During my childhood days (as if I’m that old), my mom used to say that there were people on admission at the hospital, and the doctors just want them to fart (yes, fart!) so they could be discharged. I used to laugh a lot at this statement, and wrote it off as a joke. I even shared it as a joke a few times and it worked. But a recent incident proved to me that it was not a joke, not at all!

I was in a meeting, and I had a funny feeling in my tummy. I know that feeling; there was air willing to come out. However, I was enjoying what the resource person was saying so much that I decided to “keep it” (after all, I can do it later right?). I still felt those feelings, and I ignored them, thinking they’d come back later, after I was done with the meeting. I know a few people who’d “release it” there and then, but I am a gentleman you know! (Being gentle comes with a price!)
Well, meeting over, here I was trying to bring it back (sounds funny right?), that was when it decided to “flex” me.

Nonsense, if you won’t come, stay there!

I got my mind off it, went home, ate, and slept (of course I took a shower!). The next day started nicely, and I left off to “pick my moves” as usual. The morning was quite fine; it was fine until early afternoon when I felt a slight ache in my stomach. It wasn’t the usual feeling I knew. This one was different. I managed to finish everything and headed home. By the time I got to my neighbourhood, it was quite irritating. So, I stopped by the pharmacist to buy a sachet of Liver Salts, thinking it was “one of those things.”

The Liver Salts didn’t bring help. By the time I got home, I was feeling sorry I didn’t release it the day before. I still didn’t take this thing seriously, so I drank a lot of water after eating and went straight to bed.

As if I slept.

Man, I haven’t felt so miserable all my life. All I wanted to do was FART. No, don’t laugh, it’s serious. I
managed to sleep a little. It was just turning me around on my bed and I was really in pain. I hoped it would be over by morning, but, chale, it was worse. I couldn’t stand straight, and all this while, my prayer to God was to open the “floodgates” so I could just release it and feel free. I had to walk slowly to the pharmacy to buy drugs, I got there around 7 30am, and she hadn’t opened yet. (This means I had to go home and come back later!)

I bought food, hoping the food will force this nemesis in my stomach out, nah, it didn’t work. I went home lied down a bit, and came back after close to an hour. The Pharmacist was there, but she was on the phone. Man! I couldn’t stand. I’m sure she was talking to her sweetheart or something, cos she kept quite long. It was not until I bent over that she realised I was dying from you know what! (and that was after 5 minutes!)

I bought some tabs, which later proved useless. Then I realised this was serious. I told my dad it had gotten worse, so he asked me to see a pharmacist friend of his, and he put me on medication. It took me about four days to finally do what I had to do, and when it came, it was small. Ah! Come big so I can feel free but “petit a petit,” is that not it? So I began to cherish the small ones and hope for bigger ones. FINALLY, the breakthrough came and it was quite sizeable.

I’m way better now.

But I’ve learnt a few things which I’d love to share, you can do it, or leave it. But when it happens to
you, don’t say I DID NOT TELL YOU.
1.Watch what you eat. This is very important. And the times you eat. (At least know when and when not to eat.)

2.Never ever keep it. No matter who or where you are. No gentleman business please! Get out quietly, and let it rip!!

3.Wait a bit before going back in, so people will not know what you have been up to. However, if you can trust yourself that much, you can let out a “youssssouffff” (don’t ask me what it is) in there, but these are usually harmful, they can knock someone unconscious, so exercise restraint.

4.Feel good after doing it, cos after all there are people on admission because of that!

5.And if it ever happens to you, welcome to the club!
Tswa, omanye aba!