Sometimes things change, but we all begin and end with the family.
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Tag: family
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Quote on Family 2
Never allow hate in your family because hate can build up in a child’s heart until it swallows them whole and leaves them empty inside.
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Learning from mistakes together is how a family works.
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– Friends are family we chose for ourselves.
Didn’t forget
I didn’t forget about the World Friends Day. I do write about friendship because it’s dear to me. I was extremely busy with personal and family errands. I also volunteer online for a company based in North America, and so had little time to pen my stories, thoughts and poems. At the end of each day, I’m left weak and tired. So I sleep earlier nowadays.
Friends are Family…
I’ve so many friends. Strangely, my friends are not limited to street, school, church pals or any human acquaintance made. I’ve adorable friends too: babies and little children, dogs, birds, ants, even plants and trees. To me, friendship goes beyond the physical. It’s a mutual thing ordained with understanding, respect and loyalty. It falls in-between trust and love. Real friends can give up anything, even their life for one another. Take, for instance, the story of Antonio and Bassanio in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice.
Everybody is capable of friendship
Someone, somewhere look up to you. It might be a person or a pet. It might be the old milkman walking by your window to see you smile and say good morning. It might be a pair of rose flowers dangling in a vase waiting for its daily dose of water and care. It could be anyone.
I ask that you check on your friends. Times are tough. A simple call or chat can bring back hope to the heartbroken or depressed. Hope is a strong force. Remain a loyal and trustworthy friend to someone. You might be the reason someone looks forward to another day.
Here is to wish you, my friends and family, what I should have these past few days: Happy belated Friendship Day. And I love you so much. Stay safe.
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I love you, and I want you to know.
We know that love is a feeling and a state of mind, desirous to be there for someone or see a person succeed or be better. This desire lead to kind acts and actions summarise it all. Yet love can be expressed verbally.
Who needs to know you care for them? Everyone! Family, friends, co-workers and neighbours. Acts of love are passed through our kindness and compassion for people and living things. How you treat people and your environment speaks volumes about yourself. Kindness, compassion and selflessness are loving virtues. Anyone who loves others loves himself. We are love creatures.
Loving someone means, “I love your life, your intentions, your interests, your aspirations, your hopes, yet you’re not a threat to my life and aspirations.” So I enjoy loving you for you.
While we pray and work to cleanse our land of the virus, reminding someone of your love can bring hope. Drop a beautiful message to your loved ones today.
It’s a rainy morning. I’m grateful to love you another day 💛❤️💚😘
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Things may change but we begin and end with the family.
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You remind me of home, far away,
Fine memories I cherish each day
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Mama is waiting
The hills too!
The road is slow
I hear her call…
I’m coming mother,
I’m coming home!
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A friend sent this to me on WhatsApp and I thought of sharing with you.
While a man was polishing his new car, his 6 year old son picked up a stone and scratched lines on the side of the car. In anger, the man took the child’s hand and hit it many times; not realising he was using a wrench. At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures. When the child saw his father, with painful eyes he asked, ‘Dad when will my fingers grow back?’ The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times, devastated by his own actions. Sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches. The child had written LOVE YOU DAD. The next day that man committed suicide.
Anger and Love have no limits. Let’s choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life. Things are to be used and people are to be loved. But the problem today is that people are used and things are loved.
***
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Earlier this evening, I overheard the women talk; my mother, aunts, some helpers and my little sister. From my room window, I heard their discussion on the funeral and all they did to make it a success. Usually, I don’t eavesdrop on women chats, but I couldn’t help but listen to this particular discussion. I admire their ability to make things light even with their busy schedules. They did all the cooking, cleaned the house and compound, washed everything, and served the visitors who came for the funeral. What got my attention was their discussion on how they successfully implemented their plan. I admire and appreciate these women and their ingenuity. I wonder what they could do if they were in political posts. I think they will make good leaders and that African lawmakers should encourage female politicians to take up more political positions.
I sit in my room, trying to overcome the stress from the past week. I bared my mind to different thoughts. It is heartwarming seeing people work to make things happen for others. I am grateful to you all for your prayers and wishes. The family remain the most significant positive energy ever!
I am re-reading a drama, Robin Hood I found in my father’s box. I think my mind needs some education—Goodnight everyone. 😗
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Health is a new wealth! Here are some factors that may help us live healthily.
Our psychology plays a significant role in our wellbeing. If you think healthy thoughts, you’ll be healthy. We were thinking healthy means being conscious of our internal and external environment and knowing how to maintain a proper balance.
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he…
Our lifestyle matters too. Observing good siesta is good. Sleep is part of human nature, and it’s the best way to rest essential organs in the body. Sufficient sleep is required if we desire to be strong mentally and physically. Our choice of nutrition, exercise, feeding habits and personal hygiene also affect our wellbeing.
Water! Ah, water is life. Man and water are inseparable. The earth surface consists of about 70% of water and man is made up of water! Oxygen contains water too. So clean water is essential. While we may enjoy beverages, wine, and others, we must not forget that water remains the best option.
Happiness is a healthy factor. Happily, satisfaction is free, and no one but ourselves can control our happiness! Studies reveal that happy people tend to live longer. Peace of mind comes from being happy, and this has a way of affecting our health!
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For more than a week, the waters of our creek Oko’pia has been chalky. Villagers say each time this happened, an animal (Atah – Alligator) is digging away at the source. I don’t know where the source is and honestly if I knew I wouldn’t go. 😐
Our farm lies further away from the village, and we always cross Oko’pia to get there.
Yesterday we went to dig up yams, and I got these images.
Now it’s almost time to go back to town. Work will resume in a few days! I had fun helping my family on the farm and seeing good old friends. I feel refreshed and revived for work. Family is energy! 😌
I have a piece of advice for everyone this new year: Never forget your family and good friends.
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Merry Christmas Eve
As we progress to the year’s end, remember to enjoy the people God has put in your life. Drop all forms of disagreements and grudges, be humble to serve others, let things you can’t control be and try to help people. Forgive and see things from different angles. Never forget to spend quality time with your family.
Call someone, send love notes, text messages and gifts to people. Don’t worry if the love you give is not reciprocated. But be happy and contented. Someone appreciates you.
As we reflect on the significance of Christ’s birth, remember to take care of yourself too and to have adequate rest for the coming year.
Let’s have a merry 2019 Christmas Eve! Love ❤😊🌲
*image from American University of Beirut
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Love
Every child deserves to be loved. Children can be at their best selves when loved and would reciprocate this act while growing. So if love is lacking in the society, it may be that people failed in their first duty to love. A man who lacks love was once a child who knew no love! A child will become a lover because he was loved. Love allows personal growth and self discovery. Let’s ponder over this.
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Friendship
There’s always a companion for everyone. There’s someone to confide in and share issues of life with.
Friendship is characterized by love, sympathy, kindness, loyalty, generosity, forgiveness, altruism, mutual understanding, compassion, trust and ability to be oneself and to express one’s feelings.
Even Africa’s wild agree that everybody needs a companion, a friend. Do you agree? ☺️
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Grandmother’s Table
Good evening everyone. This story was adapted from the Brothers Grimm and I’ll like to share it with you.
It may be that the older we get, the more this story will mean to us. But we should learn it while we are young, for the sake of the generation coming before us. We should also teach our younger ones, not just by words but by our actions.
Once there was a feeble old woman whose husband died and left her all alone, so she went to live with her son and his wife and their own little daughter. Every day the old woman’s sight dimmed and her hearing grew worse and sometimes at dinner her hands trembled so badly the peas rolled off her spoon or the soup ran from her cup. The son and his wife could not help but be annoyed at the way she spilled her meal all over the table and one day after she knocked over a glass of milk, they told each other enough was enough.
They set up a small table for her in the corner next to the broom closet and made the old woman eat her meals there. She sat all alone, looking with tear-filled eyes across the room at the others. Sometimes they spoke to her while they ate, but usually it was to scold her for dropping a bowl or a fork.
One evening just before dinner, the little girl was busy playing on the floor with her building blocks and her father asked her she was making. “I’m building a little table for you and mother,” she smiled. “So you can eat by yourselves in the corner someday when I get big.”
Her parents sat staring at her for some time and then suddenly both began to cry. That night they led the old woman back to her place at the big table. From then on she ate with the rest of the family, and her son and his wife never seemed to mind a bit when she spilled something every now and then.
***
Image from Knoll .com
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Ututu oma, ach, that’s good morning in English. It’s a bright and sunny morning and I wish I was in Kenya, watching wildlife.
World Teacher’s Day.
Today is Teacher’s Day! I celebrate all who share their knowledge with others, cheers and thanks for being a teacher. To parents, guardians, school tutors, clergymen, imams and everyone who teach in any capacity, you are awesome! As a teacher you are a life changer, great influence and the society owe you a lot.
Growing up.
Growing up wasn’t easy for me. I recall my school days as a timid child, a prey for bullies. There was this boy who found joy in bullying others and unfortunately I was one of his candidates. To cut the story short, he always roughed me up and made me run. So one day I decided to fight my Goliath. The fight bought my freedom and respect from others. I became courageous and self confident, afterwards. To get over a challenge, you must face it.
Well growing up wasn’t rosy either, I trekked to school, borrowed books to supplement study materials and disturbed my elder brothers and busy mom to teach me extra lessons. In high school, I was afraid of some teachers. This affected my grades, negatively. If a student hates a teacher, chances are that such student won’t perform well in the subject.
Now why do students hate teachers? I don’t think students hate teachers naturally. Maybe the teaching style, the dress code, the language and composure or self confidence doesn’t work well with them. There are many reasons, but I don’t think anyone would hate an open, funny and friendly person.
As a math teacher, I think that coercion is not the best way to teach. Teaching quantitative subjects like math require softness, kindness, flexibility, patience, tolerance and creativity. I will add that a math teacher should have a big heart too. Accommodating slow students can be challenging and tasking. Teachers should consider every child’s learning abilities. Different looks doesn’t really equate to different IQs. But having in mind that people are different helps. So there are fast learners and slow learners, fast writers and slow writers. Note that we can force a camel to the stream but we can’t force it to drink.
I wish you all a lovely weekend.
***
Image from Indiatimes
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Twist and Turns
Twist and turns, that’s the song of life and the road
But crawl, walk, run towards those brown hills,
Dust shall become a dress or a travelling companion
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You may agree with me that evenings are best for story telling. In Africa, evenings are valuable family time. Dinner or sitouts allow time to reflect on the days work: achievements and disappointments, and to tell tales. Tales don’t just act as lullabies but convey moral virtues (and vices) as well.
Now when a story is told in the open countryside, there’s always a fire for warmth and the moon 🌕 will be out to listen. This time around, I’m writing from my bed’s comfort and there’s no fire but a radio here.
Though this Aesop’s tale is old, the moral will never go out of fashion. I hope everyone enjoys it. I will retire for the day, good night!
A man and his wife had the good fortune to possess a goose that laid a golden egg every day. Lucky though they were, they soon began to think they were not getting rich fast enough, and, imagining the bird must be made of gold inside, they decided to kill it in order to secure the whole store of precious metal at once. But when they cut it open they found it was just like any other goose. This, they neither got rich all at once, as they had hoped, nor enjoyed any longer the daily addition to their wealth.
Much wants more and loses all!
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Thoughts on Contentment
Most vices become when there’s a lack of contentment. Burglary, pilfering, all manner of stealing, falsehood, and even hatred of oneself are all discontentment factors. I asked some elders about their thoughts on contentment, and they gladly led me through their wisdom. As we all know, happiness is a great virtue worth teaching our younger generation.
This rhyme may not be their exact words, but it captures the central theme: self-discipline.
***
Do not seek extra gain
If to another it causes pain
Even as you gather wheat and profits
Remember the sick, weak and needy
Be you; wherever you may find yourself
For in self-discipline, one makes a disciple of oneself
Finally, ultimate joy and peace is found in little things
You needn’t look far, for such things start from the family
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Thoughts on Family
Sometimes things change, but we begin and end with the family.
Family is everything. It’s the final bus stop for every one. Please think of the prodigal son who returned to his father when he lost everything.
Here are some notes on what to do to keep positive relationships with your family members.
Don’t let arguments or fights take away your happy moments. Sometimes I may be right, and if others won’t see things the way I do. I let things be. Respect each other’s opinion.
It’s good to let go, to forgive. Humans err. No one is perfect. Apologizing and forgiving quickly when you offend someone will nip a growing grudge in the bud.
Be the humble one in the house. If you serve others, you will see things from a milder perspective. Obey your elders. Rebellion pays no good tidings. Celebrate each other’s success. Be happy for any progress made in the family. Show your loyalty and concern. Support the family in any way you can.
Family time is precious. Evening family time is a great time to let steam off and share the day’s experience. A family that plays together stays together. I learned more about life in my home than in school.
The relief that comes with having family time is unexplainable. Features of a happy family differ from one family to another. Please permit me to include warm smiles, warm hugs and advice, and warm soups in the essential part!
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1
Family is love, family is the birth place of love
It is a wake of faces; staring, admiring, loving
A bed were we fight with pillows some times
And a glimpse of hope in the darkest of nights
2
Family is that look through the eye of a loved one
Family is the noise we make when we are all crazy
The reason we run home after a day of sun stress
And a soothing bath that gives a fresh-start fragrance
3
Family is laughter, a bunch of friends who delight in food
And more who delight in dance, wine and wierd things
In great times, in sad times, morning, night, all for fun
But we all must begin and end with the family
4
Family is the dream of a fairy beach house
A collection of stones and pets all about the house
It is the taste of the sweet coconut juice from earth cups
The smell of boiled potatoes and soup for evening meal
5
Family is trust, made of honor and loyalty,
A dream come true, a bouncing smiling baby
The taste of orange, a collection of picture albums
And a sense of belonging to the clan
6
Family is a citadel, a place of warmth and shelter
Designed in the hearts of hearts, the depths of care
Where the pains are sorted with mild words and smiles
And the love of our mother Nature with all she offered to us
7
Family is the song we sang together around the Christmas tree
The visits of places were masquerades pursue people with sticks,
A life given to be shared by many wonderful people
And even a greater joy of gathering once in a while
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Rejoice: I’m an Uncle!
You have the bright eyes of a young deer
Tender, I wonder what you think
Each time your eyes happen upon me
This same pretty eyes that let tears fall
Innocent, lovely and specially gives hope
You pull my hair when I lift you up
Do you think they were your play tendrils?
Your hands hold everything, books, pen, phones
In a fine babyish smile, your mouth pouts
My little child you are awesome and pretty
And for all my life, I shall let those memories
Of the first smile you gave me live in my heart
God bless you my fine little child…
For my cute little niece, Rejoice Onyeabor. Very inquisitive and observant baby. Born to my elder brother and taking after him… I see my attachment for this baby, for all babies grow stronger. The future is in their hands, so parents; mummies and daddies, uncles and aunts, everybody, show some more love.
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What is better than bringing two worlds together,
Bringing life and earth over a body of water?
What is better than true friendship
When it’s all about companionship?
What is better than the scent of the rain
When it brings the reign of droughts to end?
What is better than the smiles of loved ones
When in all, good or bad, gives special fun?
What is better than the love in your eyes
When it brings me to Divine speed and might?
The bridge serves the community
It shares in every dream we believe in;
Involving friends, and their aspirations
We are connected to a circle that never ends
Love nurtures this circle and sense of family
Built on unconditional care and concern for others
Alas, the rains must fall; must fall on us all
And it tells of how common we must be
To one another; male or female, white or black
And the need for a long lasting linking bridge
For all dreams, mankind dreams of sharing
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Family Thoughts
– Family is Divine. Marriage is approved by God, so also is the family. The family influences the society and the family is an agent of positive change.
– Family gives hope and understands more than any other. If we are from the same roots, live together, play together, hope together, love and care together and definitely knows when one is sad, downtrodden, good and lively we tend to understand one another without much stress. We understand when one needs to stay alone or when he-she needs a hug. So the family do understand better most times.
– Family funtime is the best playtime! Have you watched a comic, drama, movie or concert with the family or shared a joke? Have you tried playing games with loved ones? The joy derived in the smiles and laughter of a loved one lightens the heart and unburdens the soul. It gives a heart felt feeling which is indescribable.
– The family cares and loves. It is only in the family that you see unbiased love, care and emotion. In a family that loves one another, God abides and to stand together a strong team of hearts is built.
– Family shares, builds and lives together. Knowing that your sister, brother, husband, wife, baby, uncle, aunty, niece, cousin etc are part of you and pieces of traits found in them maybe found in you, push up that feeling of closeness, community and humanity. You see such people as you see yourself, you love them as much too.
– Family is a Divine agent of Comfort, Encouragement, Control, Reconciliation and Consolation. Take a quick look at the prodigal son who came back with nothing but shame and disgrace, but the family welcomed him back. Whenever I feel deeply hurt, pain, sad, happy, good, achieved, I do call the attention of the family or atleast one member of the family. It boosts my believe that someone has my back and would always lend a shoulder, arm or a word. Towards the times of stress, eg exam times, I travel home to acquaint and relieve myself of education, work and other stress. It do work for me. Each time I resume schooling or work after staying with the family I find myself better improved and equipped, ready and in high spirits to succeed and exceed my previous efforts.
– But then, sometimes things will change but we must begin and end with the family. Here, you can always come back to the family, it”s always yours. Friends leave, but family always stay.
So do pray, love, care and never forsake the family.
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A friend and family
I offer you my hand
Take it, make it one of yours
It is a piece of my heart,
That I give you
Keep it safely with you
For yours is safe with me
Friends are roses
Their aroma smells
From afar off
Their light, like the sun
Throwing warmth to us
Following our paths
And casting a shadow
Of companion besides us
Thoughts of friends
Brings smiles to us
The joy they bring
Better than a Kings banquet
Memories lifelong locked
Brothers, sisters, lovers
A very big family we are
Friends are family
Not by blood, but by love
With love we build a family
Around the globe and yonder
And though things change
We must begin and end
With the family of friends
Oiroegbu Halls
