I am a happy soul

...Omonoba...
Our People Say:
Eng: As you worship plantain, remember to worship banana as well. - Ghanaian Proverb.
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I am a happy soul.

I found love...
...within myself. This one was easy and it took much less time than it took to learn how to tie shoelaces.

I found love, again... 
...in the midst of the simplest names - Passion, Bethlehem, Heaven. The complicated ones - Chikaodinaka, Amenawon, Aituariagbon. That a man and a woman or their child's uncle's mother-in-law saw a future and called the child that future.

I found love, again...
...in my salvation.

I found love, again...
...when the ground screamed in loneliness and tore it's chapped skin. And the sky heard it and sent down wet kisses.

I found love, again...
...in between the pages of books. That someone sat down and wrote down their story or one that they wished belonged to them or one that they wished they never had. And myself, my very own first lover, chose to be a part of this gift.

I found love again...
...within every stanza of a good song or a good poem. A good poem soaked my eyes and a good song warmed my heart - or froze it. And the  black and white keys or the brown strings that played this good song.

I found love again...
...not very much in their vows at the altar but after a warm night dinner to her grown daughter; 'find a man like your father' or to his son; 'find a woman like your mother'.

I found love again...
...in my mother's cooking and my father's 'cooking'.

I found love again...
...in pieces of ankara and how the patterns always made sense.

I found love again...
...after my wardrobe went empty and no one knew where things went. But the next day at church, my sister had familiar clothes on her back.

I found love again...
...at least, before I turned forty.

I found love again...
...in bleeding. The worst I could do to it was divert its flow.

I found love again...
...in answers to my questions.

I found love again...
...in memories.

Compared to the depth and potential of love and life, nothing I write will ever be good enough. I'm glad that I found love but thankfully, LOVE FOUND ME FIRST. vv

'BORN AGAIN' T-Shirt. 

This is one of the reasons I wear t-shirts - to share a message or something I love.

Have a blessed weekend,
NakedSha.

Tell them why you're a little happier.

...Omonoba...
Our People Say:
Eng: It is only when you kill a mad man that you will find out that he has relatives. - Igbo Proverb.
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I read the book: I do not Come to You by Chance written by Adaobi Nwaubani. I liked it a lot. I'm not very great at doing reviews so this would be quite brief. Her sentences are crisp and clear and she sometimes uses repitition and common language to drive home her point. I like her writing style more than any other aspect of this book. Also, she tells a story of '419' (scam(s)) and the daily conflicts between becoming a 'big-boy' and providing for family from the '419' business in everyday Nigeria. I recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a next book authored by a Nigerian. I have a slight fetish for long and complex native names and two characters (even though, minor) in this book had interesting Igbo names (Chikaodinaka and Odinkemelu).  The book was generally well sentenced and the grammar was clean except for one sentence that peeved me:

'...none of his posters were...' 

This grammatical error is so common and even the editor probably missed it. But oh well!

On a similar note, My friend, Osondu Awaraka reviews books very well. Both of us are in a book-reading pact for this new semester because we were slacking slightly. As I go, I'll update my list of read books and keep you in the loop. Visit his blog and let him know what you think about it. I am currently reading Chinua Achebe's Anthills of the Savannah. I know I'm late but better late than never. As usual, I'd let you know what I think when I'm done.

Yesterday, I had these delicious Nigerian Village-tasting pineapples for breakfast:

{Pineapples from Sprouts Farmer's Market.}

Eat more fruits and read more books. Then tell others why you're a little happier...

Since the bride price...

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Yoruba: Eni tí ó bá máa bímo á yò fólómo.
Eng: Whoever would have children of her own must rejoice with those who already have - Yoruba Proverb.
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My beautiful readers,
I have been busy working towards the new blog. The url and name shouldn't change but I am expanding it and making it into what I hoped it would one day become. 5 months and 81 followers later, I am thrilled and ready to take the next step in my plan book.
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Since the bride price and first night,
Everything has changed
His eyes do not glitter as before
The feel of his skin is like any other

I haven't done something wrong,
Abi?
This silence is like my childlessness
And he never speaks about it

Abi,
One man's love will last forever?
Has my skin fallen
Or has my cooking failed?

I pray for a child, for other reasons
One to love me unconditionally
Abi,
A child will always love their ma?

This anger is eating me up
And my barrenness is my curse
But if my husband comes home early
I will ask him if my breasts have fallen.