Attending my friends wedding : Why I couldn't miss the event despite the rain
Early in 2020, my paternal grandmother was laid to rest, a woman who was so dear to me because at a point in my life she played a true motherly role.
Being the kind of person who believes in keeping a few trusted friends who can stand by you at any time, I didn’t invite many people to the funeral. I only reached out to a few friends, not up to eight. Funny enough, out of those I personally messaged and who assured me they would come, even calling me that morning for directions, none of them showed up. Not a single one gave an excuse for their absence.
Did I get offended or upset? Not at all. Strangely, it didn’t really bother me, and you know what? Out of the eight, five were ladies.
Now here’s where the story gets interesting. The evening before the funeral, I arrived in Onna. I knew I would need some help from friends to convey a few things from our house to my granny’s compound, where the funeral was taking place. I looked around and didn’t see anyone available to assist, but I still wasn’t bothered.
As I stepped out to get something, I met a friend who said, “Nsi, so you wanted to bury your grandma and you didn’t tell me?” I smiled and apologized. He laughed and said, “Oya, come give me drink.” I took him inside the compound, and immediately he picked up his phone and called two of our other friends.
Long story short, in less than an hour, about fifteen guys were in my compound, all ready to help. They stayed with me till the following morning, helping with everything I needed. Did I remember to invite them? No. But they showed up when I needed help the most. How God managed to do it, I don’t know.
That’s why I always say, when you assist people or attend their events, do it with an open mind. Don’t do it just because you expect them to return the gesture. What if the person isn’t available when you need them? Will you stop doing what you’re supposed to do?
Those guys showed up when I least expected, and I’ll never forget that.
Now, about Grace; my dear ufan. I also forgot to invite her to the funeral. She stays in Ibeno, which is quite a distance from Onna, where the burial took place. But two days before the event, Grace saw the funeral flyer on my Facebook page and immediately reached out, saying, “Nsisong, so you didn’t want to invite me to your granny’s funeral?” All I could say was, “Eyaa, sorry.” She replied, “I will come.” I honestly thought she was joking.
But long story short, she was the only one who showed up for the funeral, all the way from Ibeno. When she called to tell me she was on her way, I was completely shocked. She might have seen it as something small, but that single act of kindness and loyalty will remain evergreen in my heart.
This is me saying, congratulations, Ufan (Grace). May your union be blessed and fruitful.
