This morning, I woke up feeling some body pain. I wasn’t sure if it was because I had slept in an awkward position or simply due to natural causes. I had done some strenuous work the previous day, which might have contributed to the sharp pain I felt.
About an hour after waking up, the pain eased a bit. Suddenly, I found myself deep in thought, reflecting on the events around me. I didn’t even realize how it started. At some point, my thoughts drifted to the past year—what had happened and the plans I had made for this new year. I felt that I had done my part in preparing for what lies ahead.
However, a sense of sadness crept in as I remembered the death of one of our staff members and the burial I recently attended. It made me question the meaning of life. Death is so unpredictable—you never know when it will come knocking. It struck me that while we make plans, death has its own plans, too. Still, we can’t let the fear of death stop us from living or pursuing personal growth.
Life is full of uncertainties, but the best we can do is focus on the positive aspects and do our best every day.
As I reflected on these thoughts, I noticed a man passing through our compound. It turned out to be one of the Hausa men who sell and file cutlasses. I suddenly remembered that I had been meaning to file our cutlass for a while but kept forgetting. I felt fortunate to see him at that moment. I called him over and asked how much it would cost to file the cutlass. He said 800 naira, but I bargained with him to accept 500 naira, which he eventually agreed to.
As he worked on the cutlass, another thought crossed my mind. I wondered how he managed to cope with the little he earned. His situation reminded me that everyone is fighting their own silent battles.
All these reflections filled my heart as I prepared for my resumption back to work on Monday. Life is indeed a mix of challenges and uncertainties, and while everyone faces their own struggles, we must keep moving forward and doing our best.