Christmas!

Oh how I long for the euphoria that came along with the christmas season in years gone by... As a kid there were so many reasons to be joyful with the approach of xmas , chief among which was the thought of getting new clothes and new shoes and the various accesories that came along with the purchases i.e. christmas hats, plastic sunglasses and wrist watches that told the same time notwithstanding what time of the day one consulted them! Then there were the fire crackers ( of which i was so afraid), the christmas carols and the beautifully but oddly decorated masqueraders that occasionally paraded the streets and mockingly scared stubborn little children like me into hiding any time i knew of their presence.

One cannot take away the part played by the abundance of food, and by food I dont meant your everyday fufu and rice! I mean fufu and rice with the choicest meat i.e the chicken, turkey, goat or sheep that had been reared some months in advance for the christmas soup/stew pot! then, there were the cakes, all forms of pastry and of course sweets sweets sweets!

Over the years christmas somehow ceased to present that innocent excitement it had , in years gone by. If any thing at all it now had the appeal of vegetables to a young child!
Even with all the partying and the various entertainment packages on offer during the season, the whole xmas thing somehow now to me is a neccesary "evil"! I tend to be very wary of the season cos there is always the tendency to spend beyond one's budget only to find yourself broke by the beginning of the new year!

Having said all that, i guess the onus lies on me and people like me who seem to have grown disenchanted over the years to relive those lovely years. I mean let's bring back dem good days of Christmas. I intend doing exactly just that this year even though i havent been able to decide on exactly how I am going to achieve that.I think I'll try doing something i have never ever done at christmas, trying to relive the excitement through the lives of the younger people in my life. Seeing the joy in their eyes should rub on me I guess.!

N.B.


Ona more serious not, ...dunno if I am alone in this but it always seems a difficult thing to do... putting things into perspective! A number of times I have found myself reacting (never violently though) to situations that arise only for me to realise later that i could have dealt with those same issues in a totally different and obviously much more appropriate manner? Does that ring a bell in any one's ears?

Joy Unlimited!

...A desire so deep, a thirst so unquenchable and a passion so great!! These words best describes the rather recent yearn to find my identity and in so doing ultimate happiness...An identity not based on what others perceive me to be, but of an authentic spirit which is peculiar to me...A happiness not borne out of abundance but of content instead. No doubt, It is a struggle, with life never failing to present me with countless surprises. Good thing though is that I continue to keep hope alive whilst being true to myself. YES, I CAN!

Amazing Grace

I am currently listening to Aaron Neville's rendition of "Amazing Grace" a song which is particularly relevant to me this day as a result of the nearly fatal motor accident i managed to escape this morning with my baby sista. Indeed 'twas some Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.....

I am deeply Gratefu;

World Music

Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi, Peter Clegg, Youssour Ndour, Habib Koite, Sara Tavares, Asa, Salif Keita,Tony Allen, Wasis Diop, Oliver N'goma and the list goes on and on... Folks, These talented WM artistes just make my day any day. Great to be part of different world cultures without having to be there physically. Thanks to these great ambassadors whose works makes it al l possible. Artistes, I celebrate You !

ASIMBONANGA!

Thanks to Youtube and wikipedia, yesterday, i discovered the composer of one of the tunes that till this day, brings up memories from my chidhood (Asimbonanga). Johnny Clegg a.k.a the WHite Zulu. and guess what? I am so enjoying this discovery!

MIXED FEELINGS!!

...Almost clueless!! That best describes my mood for the morning.After a weekend of partying some and lazying some, to top it up with the fact that i managed to leave a piece of my native cloth behind at church in a bid to sneak out before close of service and not forgetting the beautiful drive uphill towards Peduase (from where I caught the most beautiful view of Accra), I can't say i have a clue as to what direction my life is going to take.Come to think of it, life is not so bad after all. Now is just one of the times when i am mostly experiencing bliss in the midst of all the chaoes usually inherent in the typical life of a lass like moi. There's one thing i am sure of though. I am too BLESSED to be DEPRESSED.

"...And this too shall pass"

...One of my favourite lines nowadays, as i continually grow to appreciate the not so apparent truth in this simple five letter worded phrase. Somehow, the toughest of burdens, the kind of moments that hitherto woulda get me cussing at my sorry self, wondering how and what the f*** i was going to tackle my issues now dont get me so worked up. Thanks to the valuable insight i am gaining about the impermanent nature of life and its very essence.