I watched her from afar, and all the hairs at the back of my neck stood still, as if to tell me a story I had never known.
Her demeanour, though not mysterious, was a puzzle for the inquisitor, but that gave me the fire to inquire more.
I admit that from a distance, she looks like someone who has had life dish her an iniquitous portion of circumstances, but she surely isn’t a snafu.
I would meet her along the way and say my hi’s and hello’s and sometimes she would drop some information during our pathway conversations that gave me a sense of who she truly is, perhaps.
It seems always warm in her presence, and yet she would seclude herself at the slightest moment.
I found that she has three children and she is a divorcee. She has a decent job but that work, doesn’t pay enough to help her live a life of liberty.
She never plays with her job, and although I’ve seen her repeat clothes that ideally, she should have said her goodbyes to, the responsibility of raising three children has made her temporarily forget her pride in appearance.
I met a friend over lunch, and this woman, by the way, called Lilly kept coming to mind.
I couldn’t concentrate on my lunch. My plan was to investigate more through my interactions with her the next time we met, and of course, do it with care in order not to make her feel anything less, other than her worthy self.
So, the next time I saw her, I gave a broad smile and she returned the smile with a big ‘hello’ and ‘how are you’
And then she complimented me. It was an opportunity to show her a trick, regarding her appearance. I suggested a style to her and she so loved it, and said, ‘I’m going to try that.’
But it got me thinking, this is a phenomenal woman, doing everything to ensure that her children and their generation get the best, with her sacrifice.
What she needs is not judgment over her demeanour, looks or anything.
These circumstances may not necessarily last, but the person and her endurance will do.
The sun will shine again, and soon. And the smiles could come out of a really genuinely happy heart.
You may not be able to wear her shoes for a second. Be kind and give a helping hand when you can when you see such individuals.
You know, it reminds me of a story I heard someone tell. She said that she conceived at a time her sister had a miscarriage.
How was she going to break the good news to a sister who was grieving and no scripture in the Bible seemed adequate for her?
Discretion and the wisdom of God, she said helped her to communicate. What do you do when you see someone in distress? Don’t benefit from their brokenness as others may do.
Let not the fast-paced world blind you of what matters most, and when you see a woman doing everything to make the world a better place, give a helping hand when you can.
The quest of being relevant at all cost and the cunning game of politics in different walks of life have made people forget that they are first human. There’s always the right way to do something. Find it.
Open your eyes, there are opportunities all around to be good and kind. Sometimes, just a smile would take darkness out of someone’s day.
Do you realise that anytime you’ve been good, you feel happier?
March 8 should not just be a day you show kindness to a woman. Everyday is a day of battle for someone, do not withhold that gift of kindness.
Anyway, what time is it?
Have a pleasant day.
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