Back In The Days
Wow! I was blown over by the wonderful responses I got. A buddie of mine just capped it with memories of his childhood. Family is not only by blood but then who really cared if we were blood or not. Just the fact that we are from same town, village made it easy to call each other blood.
I have cousins who aren’t even remotely related to me, how is that possible you ask? Yep! It’s very possible because they have been there from baby steps till now. Friends turned sisters, brothers. We never even thought of tracing the bloodline, actually never really cared if we were related. I would introduce her as my cousin, my brother or my sister.
I remember when I first started dating my hubby and after a few dates together he said to me on one of those visits to a friend of his who coincidentally was my Uncle , you seem to have a lot of relatives and I replied telling him , Yep I come from a very large family both paternal and maternal. That’s how I grew up, amidst so much love and friendship.
That’s quite common where I come from which is the northern part of the Cross River State. We cohabit and it used to be fun then especially when everyone is home either for Christmas, Easter or New Yam festival. Cooking and having to deliver food to every home in the compound, watching TV on the family sitting room all gathered round grandpa or when you all have to go to church together, imagine what a crowd we were.
Ohhh yeah, I remember back in secondary school. We had a particular family who had about 5 daughters in school at the same time. The bond was so infectious, you couldn’t help but envy them but now it’s lacking in families.
We are losing the very foundation that got us to where we are now. Everything seems to have just disintegrated somewhere, somehow but where, who or how isn’t or shouldn’t be the question but let’s focus on how to get these memories back and also think of how to get our children to also have a feel of the wonderful childhood we all had. The folktales, bathing in the rain, chasing the chicken and dogs in the compound.
Send me your memories, what is that thing you miss most? Who is that special person in the family who could get you to do anything, anytime because you couldn’t say no. Talk to me.
@ethanzplace@icloud.com
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