Status

I promised to bring you up to speed.....

Well, I have been up to some really good and excting stuff...new job (oooops! can't believe it's been seven months already!), lots of fun with friends and family and hey.....that juicy one that you are itching to hear.....relationships!

Yes, I've been working at it. There've been ups and downs, but hey, I'm having fun and learning so much. Will share my lessons some day:)

Now, tell me about you.....what have you been up to?

Flying balloons

I just popped in here to say hi.

I have been busy.......working!

Hope all is well.

Don't worry, I will bounce back in full force, with more tales from grandma....I know you can't wait!

Tell me, what's the latest?????????????

Keep flying..........See ya!

Been Long!

Ooooooops!

Can't believe I've been so long away from you. Hope you've been good.

It's been a mixed bag for me (work, family & fun ...... yeah, i do catch my fun every now and then!). But in all it's been .............. Work, work, work!

Hope to be back in full gear ..... so we could get to share our interesting thoughts.

Miss you, loads.

Cheers!

Brooke

EVER THANKFUL

January 23, 2010 marked my dad’s first anniversary since he passed on. On behalf of my family, I want to express our appreciation and gratitude for your support and encouragement.

Your love and support saw me through those trying moments and continue to give me hope for the future. I lost a dear father and friend, but I’m grateful to God for more of those friends and fathers like you.

I am particularly grateful to those of you who made it to the mountain top ….. guess it was fun all the same. Upon arrival, most of you were amazed and tired after the bumpy journey. Some of you made interesting and funny comments about my beautiful village (“a little village perched on a mountain top” as my grandpa prefers to describe it) I had to laugh despite the sadness in my heart at the time.

Vida and Nana Ayensu, I will never forget those comforting shoulders you offered me to cry on.

Kehinde, I am forever grateful for your kindness and love. You continue to prove to me that you are a true friend, despite my flaws.

Annie dear, what can I say? ….. distance and time could not stop you from showing me love. God bless you, my beautiful friend.

Seth and Amisty, I am so grateful you were there.

My good friend, Mary Ahiavi (now, Mrs. Quansah) and husband, Charles Quansah ……. For making it to the mounting top, I know I can always count on you. Charles, you have found a good wife in Mary, please hold her dear.

Eric Adae and Nii (Calipers Boye), you guys erased my sorrows with your presence. The thought of your presence still gladdens my heart any time I remember that sunny afternoon.

Antoinette, Stella, Randy and the entire GMA entourage …. Thank you very much. Antoinette, I will forever remember the solace you offered me in those loving arms.

Mr. Mark Wiafe, Mr. Ourah Delano and Auntie B …… in a most crazy way, you demonstrated your love for me, I’m ever grateful.

Prof Karikari, Dr. Edward Sackey, Mr. Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu (KMB) Dr. Kofi Abruquah and Fr. Benard Adjei Appiah,....... thank you very much.

Cephas Emmanuel Apronti, Daniel Owusu Achaw, Eugene Ampomah (Kobby), Samira, Edwin Owusu-Ansah, Rodney, Sarfoa, Linda Bobie, Mavis Osei Agyeman, Agbesi Gbafa, Eli Kofi Aba ….. thank you for your encouragement and support.

Esi Esuman Johnson,, Akua Twumasi, Adwoa Assan, Erasmus (daddy), Nash, Kwame Ayesu Kumi, Solo, Sule, Kafui, Elvis and all SCS squad ……. I’m forever grateful.

Kwabena Opoku-Agyeman, Kwame, Elizabeth Quartey, Auntie Millie, Stephany (Mawunyonam), Yvette, Sammy Ocloo, and all former UG Eng Dept colleagues, I am blessed to have come across people like you.

Oduro Kwame, Evelyn Ohene-Opare, Ninette, Stephen Twum, Evans Adu-Gyamfi, Jacob Arhin, Wendy Asare, Nana Andoh, Esther Amprofi, and all Nananom,……. Meda mo ase!

Madam Olivia, Madam Akorfa, Mr. Abache, and Mr, Agbeko, …. you were there for daddy when I couldn’t be there…….God bless you.

Chris Howusu, Nii Amon, and all facebook friends……… you shared in my sorrows ……and it made it a lot more bearable!

Mr. Obed Owusu Agyarko (theboyobed), a friend in whom I am well pleased …… your encouragement meant and still means the world to me.

Lambozy …. My dear cousin who had to bear the brunt of my frustrations …… I thank God you understood and smiled through it all. God bless you

Hellen and Akua …… my beautiful cousins who stood by me through it all, I am grateful.

And oh, what do I call you …… a friend, a sister, a cousin, or a mother????! Ayeley, I am amazed at what you are made of. I have come to understand that you are a God-sent, my angel in this universe. What can I ever do without you? You are my “all-in-one”. I love you.

My dear little sister, Etornam Wochawoe Richlove (daddy’s girl). You are a ray of hope. I thank daddy and God for a gift as precious as you. I love you.

Forgive me if your name is not mentioned. The list goes on and will never end if I want to single out what you each did for me. To everybody else (my colleagues, friends and family), I want to say Thank You for your prayers, support and encouragement.

From the bottom of our hearts, the Nuwati and allied families say a big thank you and God bless you.

I love you all ………. God bless!

Akpe na mi kataaaaaaaaaaa. Mawu neyra mi!

Brooke

January 27, 2010

Light at the end of the tunnel

How often do you not find yourself contemplating on whether or not you are not being considered a fool for doing one thing or the other? Especially when you find yourself doing things that the seemingly high and mighty (oftentimes regarded the wisest) persons would quickly and readily shy away from?

Why must you always be the one cleaning up the mess of others? Why must you be the one making sure the lights and the air conditioners in your office are turned off after work even though your colleagues are fully aware of the implications of wasting electricity and other utilities?

Well, don’t throw up your hands in despair and give up so quickly, because your story may have a happy ending like one told me by grandma about a poor girl who once lived in Afiadenyigba.

Afiadenyigba was a small village inhabited by about 3,000 people. Though the youth (16 – 45years) made up about 60 percent of the population, it was a common thing to find the older citizens engaged in activities that helped to maintain the society clean and safe. They gathered together for communal labour to carry out activities such as clean up campaigns.

There was however a young girl, Enyonam, about nineteen years of age, who was always found among the old folks any time they gathered for any such community activities. It was also common to see Enyonam sometimes weeding the footpath that led to the village riverside, where the entire community went to fetch water. The river was the only source of water for all purposes including drinking.

Enyonam’s mates would ridicule her; call her names like Aprewa or Abrewa Posoposo as they passed by her to the river bank to fetch their water. Some of them walked hand in hand with their young lovers and hooted at Enyonam who ignored them and continued with her work.

Well, it so happened that a huge tree fell down and blocked the only footpath that led to the riverside, making it very difficult for the town folks to cross it to and from the river.

Unfortunately for the town folks, the tree was so huge that any attempts by the usual committed members of the society (the old folks and Enyonam) could not push away or cut the tree off the path to make way. They tried and tried until most of them gave up saying that they couldn’t do anything but wait for the tree to rot away.

The younger men and women on the other hand did nothing to help move the tree; instead, they went round the long tree and with time, managed to create an alternate route to the river, though the new path was very long and rocky.

But not Enyonam, she did not give up entirely, any time she had some free time to herself, she went there to continue cutting the trunk of the tree, still believing that, sooner than later, she would clear the way so the villagers could have their smooth and short path back.

Unknown to everyone in the village, the king had always admired Enyonam and her spirit of diligence and perseverance. He thought and thought about how best to reward the young girl.

And so on that fateful day, the king prayed in his heart that his plans worked as he gathered the entire community at the village square to make his announcement.

The king said “My people, there’s a serious issue that must be attended to in the palace …. It is time for the prince to take unto himself a bride”.

The crowd, especially the damsels went agog with joy …. Oh that the prince will pick me … they giggled among themselves.

"But, there is a condition for this tradition to be fulfilled. Your prince has misplaced his royal necklace and we must find this necklace before we can progress with the marriage. Whoever finds the necklace will be greatly rewarded and should the person be a young maiden, befitting a bride and finds favour in the prince’s sight, she becomes the lucky bride", the king concluded.

As the crowd dispersed, the girls talked excitedly about how nice it would be to be the lucky person to find the necklace. Enyonam, though she prayed sincerely in her heart that the prince found the royal necklace she only went back to complete her task to clear the path. She could not even imagine herself as the lucky bride; after all, everyone knew her as abrewa …. an old lady.

And so she continued day in and day out with her part time job. Gradually, she succeeded in cutting through the big trunk. On the final day however, something happened. Enyonam’s eyes caught sight of the royal necklace under the tree! She quickly picked it up and headed straight to the palace. The king was very pleased and most importantly happy because, no one else but Enyonam had found the necklace. His plans had worked. He has found his son a good wife.

Interestingly, the prince also loved Enyonam and was very happy that she would be his bride. They had a colourful wedding ceremony that became the talk of town in the community and all the surrounding villages for days. The king then revealed how he came up with the plan to teach the young men and women a good lesson. Perseverance pays and modesty is a virtue, he told his subjects.

Aware soooooo !!! … Enyonam.

I Learned from the Best

And so Asiwome’s mother always said to her; you must grow up into such a lady as gorgeous and responsible as a first lady.

Asiwome, you must do this you must do that. Okay mum, I hear you, certainly mum I hear you.
“Asi, (as her mother affectionately called her) it is so unlady-like to talk, eat, walk or even breathe that way!”

Of course mum, you are right, and I hear you, thank you. Asiwome would reply her mum frustratingly, tired of the constant nagging and boring lectures about what a lady is supposed to do and not to do.

And guess what, what a lady Asiwome grew to be! A lady of such make-up men and women alike feared and despised her. She would scream and shout at the least provocation any time; anywhere. She was notorious for being the worse late comer everywhere she found herself.

Asiwome always turned heads and raised eye brows wherever she went …. Why? ….. Her way of dressing often incurred the wrath of people especially the tongue-lashing Pentecostal brothers and sisters who would have nothing to do with such lost souls!

What a woman I have for a wife! Her husband complained constantly to friends and family. She would not behave as a lady – she rules the house, and that is that! She decides whatever happens in the house and she always has the final word. Imagine that! Her husband kept lamenting to his family and friends.

It so happened that Asiwome turned out to be such a black sheep in her society her mother wondered where her daughter picked up such an up-bringing and attitude.

“People called me Maame Dzata and they could all testify that I raised you with iron hands, not even your father could have a say in your up-bringing” her mother often complained
“Mum, I learned from the best”, Asiwome simply told her mother.

What is the best? She demanded angrily. Oh yes, mother, thanks to you I learned how to control my husband … from the way you deftly manhandled my father and everything else in the house…..remember?

Yes, everyone calls me names like ‘madam buy-no-pay’ … yes I remember so well, the hide and seek game we used to play with the people that came to demand their money while you went into hiding in the bedroom and I skillfully sent the people away with the excuse that you had travelled or taken my 119-year-old grandmother to the hospital.

I went about the false defence so well, I won the sympathy of the people chasing after their money and so they rather went away and left you some money to help you take care of “my almost 120 years old grandma”. Good job, you always said when they left … remember? …I learned from the best.

A husband beater, people call me, and you seem surprised? You never allowed daddy to have a say in the house. Your wish was his command all the time because you were the breadwinner.
Asi, you are too disrespectful, …. Remember you taught me that it was a sign of strength for a woman to be stern and difficult? … people have to fear you …. Who are those good-for-nothing folks expecting that Auntie Normesi (my dear mother) would greet or smile to them?
After all, the first lady is passing by and everyone must give way. Not that you are a snob, it only resonates your importance..... you used to justify when I asked you why you carried yourself in such a manner as though nobody was good enough to deserve your greetings in the neighbourhood.

And so mama, I learned from the best.

Our children and other young people continue to look up to us in every aspect of our lives. What we do is oftentimes a more revealing and quickly passed on lessons than what we say. Let us instill good morals in our children by setting good examples especially in this techno-advanced age where children are exposed to all forms of lifestyles in the media.

Grandma had had her say!

Together as one

Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee!!!
Wofor kpewo fom dokpui, wofor yio fom dokpui,
Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee

(Hahahahaha …. this is certainly a tongue twister to many of you, especially you non-Anlo speaking folks. Don’t worry, because as I keep telling you, it’s a singular opportunity for you to learn some interesting words and expressions in Anlo, the uniquely heavy Ewe dialect).

The story is told of two women who were married to the same man and stayed in the same compound with their children. Ablavi, the first wife and Ayador, the second and childless wife had to deal with the daily issues that came with being married to the same man. Yes, they were rivals. (I wonder why we call two or more women married to the same man, ‘rivals’).

Well, by the virtue of what they were called, it was not surprising the heated rivalry that ensued between the two women. They would quarrel, fight and refuse to talk to each other for days.

Often times, the lucky, perhaps unlucky man looked on while his wives went on with their little farrago. He would only intervene when things seemed to be getting out of hand, for instance when one woman threatened to injure the other or when the harm was already done.

The second and younger wife, Ayador in particular was very quarrelsome and bitter. As much as Ablavi tried to make peace with her, Ayador only pushed her farther away with insults.

“You evil, haggard looking woman, to hell with you. Who do you think you are for me to be willing to resolve issues with you? You only continue to grow older and more ugly every minute, you and your miserable children.” Ayador would say, any time Ablavi tried to resolve any issues with her.

Little did Ayador know that, as the faithful hands of the clock kept ticking, second by second, so her days went by with her dazzling beauty fading away also. She thought she would always remain young and fresh.

One day though, they went to the farm together – husband, wives and children to cultivate some maize on a piece of land that they have tilled together, virtually without Ayador …. She often complained of or feigned one sickness or the other that kept her away from working together with the others on the farm. Lazy she! Being the more sober and wiser woman, Ablavi never complained of Ayador’s endless excuses that exempted her from working on the farm. She would rather work her lungs out than picking a fight with Ayador.

Unknown to the rest of the family, anytime Ayador complained of one ailment or the other which sometimes enabled her to be given some time to be alone, relaxing while the others worked, Ayador always sneaked to steal the food that the family brought with them to the farm. She would eat everything or throw away whatever she couldn’t finish, just to make the rest of the family, especially her rival and her children suffer from hunger.

The family often went through the trauma of discovering that their food was gone. You can imagine the ordeal and frustration when they came to empty bowls and plates after retiring from a hard day’s work under a hot scotching sun. They often attributed the misfortune to a strange wicked animal that came for their food while they worked.

Ayador, on the other hand, while the others, including her husband agonized about their loss and hunger, was filled with joy. She was satisfied that the others were suffering because of her greed and selfishness. She said to her herself …. Efiawo! Efiawo! Efiawo! (A sarcastic expression that means …. You’ve learned your lesson/You deserve it!) This, she said with such emphasis, her forehead was wildly knitted and pleated if you saw her say it!

This happened on a number of occasions when the family retired to empty bowls staring hard back at them. The poor folks even attributed the issue to an evil spirit who came for their food because they took a number of measures that they believed could keep their food safe when they retired to eat. But Ayador also intensified and improved her schemes to get the food.
On one other occasion, Ayador, just after a few minutes work on the farm, as usual, came up with another excuse to allow her do what she enjoyed doing most ….. causing pain and frustration to the rest of the family, especially Ablavi.

“I feel very horrible in my stomach. I think I must visit the toilet” Ayador announced to the others (any open space in the bushes a little away from the others, did for a toilet). So she went into the bushes, sneaked to where the food was securely kept from the “evil spirit”. After helping herself with all the food, she decided to go a step further in her little adventure.

After her meals, she squatted on the pot, eased herself so hard to produce the most beautiful laying concrete that one has ever seen. Then she attempted to get up with the intention of covering her newly prepared dish for the family. She tried and tried to get the pot off her butts, but the pot would not move. She hit the pot with anything that she could lay her hands on with all her strength and might. But the pot wouldn’t move. Today, her cup was really fool and perhaps the pot decided to tell Ayador, “efiawo ha” (You’ve learned your lessons too). Reading the time, she knew her husband and rival would soon be out to eat their food and start looking for her. She hurried to a nearby bush to hide.

Consequently, the family returned and once again saw that their food was gone but this time with the pot as well. They started calling out for Ayador to ask her if she knew what had happened to the food and the pot. She held her breath from her hide-out to prevent the rest from seeing her. Then, all of a sudden, a song was heard from a distance ……

Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi , Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee!!!

Efor kpewo fom dokpui, wofor yio fom dokpui,

Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee

(I wish you could hear me sing it they way grandma did ….so terrifying!)

That was the mystery pot tightly clung to Ayador’s butts, telling the folks that she was under Ayador’s buttocks. With a loud cry, the pot went on to explain that Ayador, had tried to get her off, but she wouldn’t. They couldn’t believe it. A pot singing?!

Ayador was eventually caught and it had to take a hot burning metal to take the pot off her buttocks. With much pain and embarrassment, she confessed to the family how she often sneaked out to steal their food, just to punish them and make them suffer. She asked for Ablavi’s forgiveness and promised never to be wicked and greedy again.

This tale, any time I remember it, still sends shivers down my spine. I remember how I coiled around my grandma as she told us this tale under the moonlit in our compound. For days, I couldn’t go alone to our electricity-less room when I was sent in the night. I was scared of lifeless objects singing to me in the dark. I was scared because of the little, little evil that I knew I was guilty of. This tale has made me a kinder person. It has taught me never to treat people with wickedness and malice.

Grandma, I’ll never forget this tale. I miss the moonlit and the stars that we tried to count. We never succeeded because they were so many. Maybe, the tales you told me and the lessons are equally countless!

I leave you to deduce your own lessons from this tale.

Enyeeeeee yi ……….

LESSONS EVERYWHERE

Mmpt! Mmpt! Mmpt! (hahaha …. just trying to inscribe the kisses of my favourite pet, Blackie). This interesting dog would always jump, kiss and even try to hug me any time I enter my house. No matter how late it takes me to get home, Blackie as we affectionately call him, is always there, as faithful as my shadows waiting for me.

Wagging his tail and jumping high, it is all obvious that Blackie is always happy to see me after a long break (twelve hours’ break is long enough to make us miss each other).

But tell you what, it’s not only about wagging of tails, blowing of garbled kisses or running away from a hug of a four-legged animal that has so endeared me to this dog. This dog continues to teach me in a very natural way something that not even the most renowned motivational speaker or preacher would be so successful in making me understand!

One interesting thing that amazes me about Blackie is his level of patience. There are three dogs in my house. Anytime I enter the house, all three, including Blackie would jump around me and follow me until I close the door behind me and go into my bedroom. They would then leave, but not Blackie, Blackie my faithful friend would always linger around some more till after a time, long enough to convince himself that I was probably asleep and not coming out anymore ….. He never takes chances, in case I came out with some goodies wrapped for him. He must wait …. Yes Blackie has the spirit of waiting on his mistress ….. such admirable gift of patience! Oftentimes, I surely do have something for my dogs, but Blackie ends up having all of it. For the others leave before I come out with the goodies, just in case I decide to take a quick shower or sit through the evening news before giving them their treat. Faithful Blackie is surely always there because he has learnt to wait long enough.

Oftentimes, there are so many good things around us that we fail to see. We stretch our eyes too far in search of things that are so close to us if only we cared to look around us. There is no need looking for greener pastures when in fact the grass is greenest in our own land.

So, any time I find myself in a restless situation, and thoughts of giving up engulf me, I only remember my dog and smile. My friend, Blackie has taught me to be patient and let things work out for me. This does not mean you shouldn’t try to push your way through when it becomes necessary. On the contrary, it has taught me the art of perseverance …. Not to give up too easily. It also means we must try to let time take its course and that we must understand that there are certain things that we simply have no control over. No amount of fretting, chuckling or unrestlessness will make any positive difference if we decided to interfere with time’s plan of action. Like Blackie’s mistress in this tale, people or situations may decide to move at their own pace, rather than at your expected pace. You may get frustrated and lose it all if you don’t have some patience.

As I sat down lately, reminiscing about grandma, and I was suddenly snapped by something she used to say; “nunya, menye agbale me ko wole ooooo” (literally, knowledge is not only found in books). Yes, and it’s so true! There are invaluable amount of lessons around us …. even less endowed creatures like dogs have some knowledge/lessons to offer. We only need to look around us to appreciate them.

Grandma was so right. She never went to school but she knew so much I even wonder if I could ever get to acquire half the wisdom of my beloved grandma.

Thank you, Blackie.

Tales from my grandmother .... 3

Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee!!!

Wofor kpewo fom dokpui, wofor yio fom dokpui,

Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee

(Hahahahaha …. this is certainly a tongue twister to many of you, especially you non-Anlo speaking folks. Don’t worry, because as I keep telling you, it’s a singular opportunity for you to learn some interesting words and expressions in Anlo, the uniquely heavy Ewe dialect)

The story is told of two women who were married to the same man and stayed in the same compound with their children. Ablavi, the first wife and Ayador, the second and childless wife had to deal with the daily issues that came with being married to the same man. Yes, they were rivals. (I wonder why we call two or more women married to the same man, ‘rivals’).

Well, by the virtue of what they were called, it was not surprising the heated rivalry that ensued between the two women. They would quarrel, fight and refuse to talk to each other for days. Often times, the lucky, perhaps unlucky man looked on while his wives went on with their little farrago. He would only intervene when things seemed to be getting out of hand, for instance when one woman threatened to injure the other or when the harm was already done.

The second and younger wife, Ayador in particular was very quarrelsome and bitter. As much as Ablavi tried to make peace with her, Ayador only pushed her farther away with insults.

“You evil, haggard looking woman, to hell with you. Who do you think you are for me to be willing to resolve issues with you? You only continue to grow older and more ugly every minute, you and your miserable children.” Ayador would say, any time Ablavi tried to resolve any issues with her.

Little did Ayador know that, as the faithful hands of the clock kept ticking, second by second, so her days went by with her dazzling beauty fading away also. She thought she would always remain young and fresh.

One day though, they went to the farm together – husband, wives and children to cultivate some maize on a piece of land that they have tilled together, virtually without Ayador …. She often complained of or feigned one sickness or the other that kept her away from working together with the others on the farm. Lazy she! Being the more sober and wiser woman, Ablavi never complained of Ayador’s endless excuses that exempted her from working on the farm. She would rather work her lungs out than picking a fight with Ayador.

Unknown to the rest of the family, anytime Ayador complained of one ailment or the other which sometimes enabled her to be given some time to be alone, relaxing while the others worked, Ayador always sneaked to steal the food that the family brought with them to the farm. She would eat everything or throw away whatever she couldn’t finish, just to make the rest of the family, especially her rival and her children suffer from hunger. The family often went through the trauma of discovering that their food was gone. You can imagine the ordeal and frustration when they came to empty bowls and plates after retiring from a hard day’s work under a hot scotching sun. They often attributed the misfortune to a strange wicked animal that came for their food while they worked.

Ayador, on the other hand, while the others, including her husband agonized about their loss and hunger, was filled with joy. She was satisfied that the others were suffering because of her greed and selfishness. She said to her herself …. Efiawo! Efiawo! Efiawo! (A sarcastic expression that means …. You’ve learned your lesson/You deserve it!) This, she said with such emphasis, her forehead was wildly knitted and pleated if you saw her say it!

This happened on a number of occasions when the family retired to empty bowls staring hard back at them. The poor folks even attributed the issue to an evil spirit who came for their food because they took a number of measures that they believed could keep their food safe when they retired to eat. But Ayador also intensified and improved her schemes to get the food.

On one other occasion, Ayador, just after a few minutes work on the farm, as usual, came up with another excuse to allow her do what she enjoyed doing most ….. causing pain and frustration to the rest of the family, especially Ablavi.

“I feel very horrible in my stomach. I think I must visit the toilet” Ayador announced to the others (any open space in the bushes a little away from the others, did for a toilet). So she went into the bushes, sneaked to where the food was securely kept from the “evil spirit”. After helping herself with all the food, she decided to go a step further in her little adventure.

After her meals, she squatted on the pot, eased herself so hard to produce the most beautiful laying concrete that one has ever seen. Then she attempted to get up with the intention of covering her newly prepared dish for the family. She tried and tried to get the pot off her butts, but the pot would not move. She hit the pot with anything that she could lay her hands on with all her strength and might. But the pot wouldn’t move. Today, her cup was really fool and perhaps the pot decided to tell Ayador, “efiawo ha” (You’ve learned your lessons too). Reading the time, she knew her husband and rival would soon be out to eat their food and start looking for her. She hurried to a nearby bush to hide.

Consequently, the family returned and once again saw that their food was gone but this time with the pot as well. They started calling out for Ayador to ask her if she knew what had happened to the food and the pot. She held her breath from her hide-out to prevent the rest from seeing her. Then, all of a sudden, a song was heard from a distance ……

Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi , Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee!!!

Efor kpewo fom dokpui, wofor yio fom dokpui, Enyeeee yi, Enyeeee yi le nyornu velia gormeeeee (I wish you could hear me sing it they way grandma did ….so terrifying!)

That was the mystery pot tightly clung to Ayador’s butts, telling the folks that she was under Ayador’s buttocks. With a loud cry, the pot went on to explain that Ayador, had tried to get her off, but she wouldn’t. They couldn’t believe it. A pot singing?!

Ayador was eventually caught and it had to take a hot burning metal to take the pot off her buttocks. With much pain and embarrassment, she confessed to the family how she often sneaked out to steal their food, just to punish them and make them suffer. She asked for Ablavi’s forgiveness and promised never to be wicked and greedy again.

This tale, any time I remember it, still sends shivers down my spine. I remember how I coiled around my grandma as she told us this tale under the moonlit in our compound. For days, I couldn’t go alone to our electricity-less room when I was sent in the night. I was scared of lifeless objects singing to me in the dark. I was scared because of the little, little evil that I knew I was guilty of. This tale has made me a kinder person. It has taught me never to treat people with wickedness and malice.

Grandma, I’ll never forget this tale. I miss the moonlit and the stars that we tried to count. We never succeeded because they were so many. Maybe, the tales you told me and the lessons are equally countless!

I leave you to deduce your own lessons from this tale.

Enyeeeeee yi ……….

Sharing with You Some Interesting Quotes

“When we are down to nothing, God is up to something”
Anonymous

“I do not have an expensive watch, but I have a time and I spend it well” Anonymous

“Say “no” to good things in order to say “yes” to the right things”
Anonymous

“If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for everything”
Anonymous

“Character is not class-conscious”
Anonymous

“Your past does not have to be your prison”
Anonymous

“My way is to begin with the beginning”
Anonymous

“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted”
Albert Einstein

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all”
Peter F. Drucker

“No Disaster, Disease or Delay is beyond the scope of God’s grace and redemption”
The Vine

Tales my grandmother told me … 2

Yes we can! …but we must start. Action and not mere words is what makes the difference. Let’s act upon our words.

Ever wondered the things that are left untouched or undone in your life - things that you have not been able to dare yourself to try? We often fill our minds with the thought that we simply cannot! But the fact is that …we may not be able to, not that we cannot. This implies that we might as well be able to, if we tried. Yes we can! (Permit me to borrow the catch phrase of the moment). This phrase has inspired and keeps inspiring a lot of people all over the world – from children walking along neatly manicured green lawns on the streets of London to people, kneeling with bare hands on an untidy floor blowing smoky fire-woods parked together in between strategically positioned blocks to make do for a stove. Even they, if only they are lucky enough to hear the famous phrase … are inspired …at least to blow harder the smoky fire-woods to get their fire sparked into flames more quickly!

The magic that really makes the difference is usually that extra little push – that push that is often lost when you get to a point on the road and begin to think and say to yourself that you cannot. But Yes You Can. Oh sure, the catch phrase inspires everyone who is privileged enough to have come across its usage especially in association with President Obama, the World President (oh, just my humble opinion, it’s ok if you don’t think he is).

But how many of us really know what exactly it is that we can? What is it that we are so much determined (or maybe seem determined) to do? Most of us shamefully do not seem to have clearly defined the object of our determination and pursuit. It is good, beautiful, and even honourable to know and yell …Yes We Can! … but it is also important, perhaps more crucial to know exactly what it is that we can.

Ghanaians especially have taken a special interest in the catch phrase and it is not uncommon to hear people virtually recite the magic phrase or see them display it on buildings, vehicles and other public and personal items.

I tell you, my grandmother told me this tale also, a long, long time ago before President Obama became a world figure for people like you and I to be privileged enough to at least hear him echo the powerful words.

She would say, Efua, as she called me, ”tso! nawor nua kabakaba” meaning get up and get at it quickly. When I used to cry that I wouldn’t be able to sell all the yakayake (a meal prepared from cassava dough, usually eaten with fried fish and hot pepper) which I carried on a tray moving from one house to the other, shouting …”yakayake dzodzoeeeee”,

My grandmother always told me, "choooooooo, Efua, ewor ge, yakayakea vorvorge fifilaaaaaaa, ne edze gome koa” this means “come on, Efua, you can do it ….the yakayake would soon get finished if you only started with your sales right now”.

With those words, of encouragement, I would step out, more confident and happier, entering the cluttered homesteads in my village shouting with my melodious voice ….yakayake dzodzoeeee va dooooooo (your hot yakayake is here). I tell you I made some very loyal customers who do not know my name till date and still referred to me as “our charming yakayake seller” when they saw me at my grandmother’s funeral two years ago.

I often returned home with an empty tray with all my yakayake sold out. It made me happy even as a child because I had delivered, well.

When things get tough, or even go wrong, (trust me, they will, every now and then), don’t fret too much telling yourself that you can’t. Often times, with the right attitude and determination, you’d realize that you are actually more than capable. As my English professor would say, you’d come to an epiphany and marvel at what you are capable of.

It is a fact that you may not be able but not a fact that you cannot.

Oh how I miss my grandmother’s delicious and special yakayake. Thank God I learned to prepare it. So all that I need to do now is to leave you here and go START preparing some yakayake for myself (oh yes, I can!). You may come for a treat over the weekend.

This is just another of my grandmother’s many tales. The journey continues, hope you are enjoying it.

Tales from my grandmother - 1

“Eto la yedune, ne me toe oo, meduge oo” this was an Anlo expression ubiquitous on my late grandmother’s lips. She said this so often we nick-named her “Eto la”.

The expression, literally means “it is he who pounds (the fufu/palm fruits) that enjoys the meal, he who does not pound it does not get to enjoy the meal”, in other words, “you reap the fruits of your labour – if you idle about with your time, you’ll reap nothing and go hungry”. How true this statement proves to be as I journey on in life! I have come to appreciate and fully understand that indeed, in life, only a few things or perhaps nothing happens to us undeservedly. Virtually every situation we find ourselves in is a result of what we bargain for. When I was younger, I used to think that good things came to people only out of sheer luck or by miracles. But no! I have come to realize that the decisions I make determine what results I get. Minor decisions affect minor things in my life while the major decisions affect major things in my life.

I may not be able to determine my parents, nationality, tribe, race, height or those things I was simply born with or into, determined by my creator, but I am more than able to shape and hone these natural endowments (call them predicaments if you like) to make me into who I really want to be. As I recall how I used to pound palm fruits for my grandmother, (for there was no nkulenu palm soup, packaged and canned in those days for abenkwan) I now see so clearly the values Daavi, as we affectionately called my grandmother, was unconsciously instilling in me and my and little cousins. For as at the time, we only took pleasure in the pounding of the palm nuts – we enjoyed the rhythm that came with the up and down movements of the pestle accompanied by Daavi’s melodious “Eto la” music.

We joyously sang along … “eto la yedune, ne me toe, meduge oo, eto la yedune, ne me toe, meduge oo”

Grandma encouraged me to be confident, resilient, assertive, tolerant, faithful, modest and patient. All these and many more virtues she imbibed in me in a most natural and unforced manner. I picked them (oh, I hope) without knowing that I was being groomed or tutored. I grew up thinking people grow naturally with these things. Maybe that explains why I’m often too sympathetic towards others, trusting them too much, thinking that they would equally see the beauty in others too while appreciating their differences. I always want to give people the benefit of the doubt. I have been so blessed. So blessed I didn’t even know!

These virtues continue to guide me, assuring me that hard work and patience are worth pursuing and that there are so many more things to recover and discover in life – life is a lesson; keep learning as much as you can. Most importantly, do practice what you learn, for knowledge acquired and stored only without its application is as good as nothing.

Let’s take this journey happily together as I share with you in the coming weeks, some other interesting tales from my grandmother.