Once upon a time
This happened to a friend. She has been at home for four years doing nothing. She wrote exams several times and was denied admission. It's not as if she failed her entry exams, but she has never been lucky to get admitted into the university
Four years she always laments. All my mates are about to graduate and here I am. Her parent refuses to allow her to learn any skill except the one she learned from her mother. She wasn't allowed to take up a teaching job either. To her, life was miserable
Natasha is the only girl in the family so her parent doesn't want her out of sight if not for a cogent reason. They love her dearly. She is aware of that but because she's always lonely at home, happiness was far from her reach
Poor Natasha. I pity her so much. When we met she narrated her story but I didn't act as if it was a big deal. I learned something sometimes ago
If someone is sad, confused, or doesn't know what to do, don't sympathize. Sympathy will only make the person feel sadder at that particular time. Once you are gone, they won't still be okay
I encourage rather than sympathize because that gives more strength to a victim.
Hey! Wipe your tears dear. She kept talking. Ifeoma was my best friend but because she goes to school and comes back once in a while and still sees me at home doing nothing, she started ignoring me. It's painful. I'm far more intelligent than her. I taught her when we were in high school but she's in 400 level and look at me rusting in my father's house
She kept crying like a baby. Okay, Natasha. I heard you. Let me talk to you, but before I can start talking, wipe your tears and look at me straight in the eyes. She couldn't do that. Tears kept dropping like a waterfall
I empathized and kept her calm. Then I started.
It's not how far, but how well. You might first me to reach the mountain but while you're struggling to climb, I might meet you there and climb easily leaving you at the bottom. Life is always not predictable most time
I told her a little story about myself and she opened her mouth like a hole. Yes, I said. That's how far life can show a man
Natasha was having an entrance exam at the school of nursing. She had written twice but all to no avail. She also did a series of exams and no response for a long time due to Corona Virus that disrupted school calenders
I told her she would get admitted this year. I told her to bet it with me. I encouraged her to keep reading when she's bored at home in preparation for her higher school. She felt relieved. Each time I see her, I call her 100 level. I gave her a nickname
She was pleased. To cut the story short, she got admission into the university to study biology. She was happy. She called me and started crying. This was 2 weeks ago. I was only smiling. I'm happy for you dear
She prepared for school. Bought many things. Her parent was happy that they had almost bought her helicopter. Smiles. She didn't want to go. She cried and cried. I will miss my mum. In my mind, I said see mumu
She eventually left early in the morning to the park. Her school is 14 hours drive from Abuja (The capital of Nigeria). She was at the park waiting for her friend. Sonia was her high school mate but she's in 400 level at the same school so Sonia was expected to help her with everything since she has never been to Anambra state before
While waiting for Sonia at the park so that they could go together, she received a call. Sonia left her parent's house that she was going to the school and went to her boyfriend's house. She told Natasha that they should go the next day
Natasha's mum was angry. What the fuck. We left the house as early as 5 am with all these loads and you are there saying trash. Was the journey not planned
?
She kept talking angrily and I received a call. When Natasha told me what happened I said
What happened is for a better reason. See it that way and wait till tomorrow
The next morning, she called and started singing praises. The bus she wanted to enter had an accident on the way and no one survived. Hmm! There's always a reason for anything that happens to human
That was not all. She received a message from the school of nursing to come for the interview
If she had left, she might have died, and if peradventure she survived, going for the interview might not have worked
She was happy. Her friend left for school and she returned home. She went for the interview and passed. She has been clamoring she wanted to become a nurse. That was her dream. Now, the journey has started
After many years, she had to choose from a double offer.
When we pass through things in life, let's understand that there's always a reason for it.
Her story taught me some lessons too.
Thanks for reading.
This is ckole the laughing gas
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