When life gets you down ....

A helpful suggestion from Rob Brezny's Free Will Astrology web site:

Speak the following lines out loud:
I love everything about me
I love my uncanny beauty and my bewildering pain
I love my hungry soul and my wounded longing
I love my flaws, my fears, and my scary frontiers

I will never forsake, betray, or deceive myself
I will always adore, forgive, and believe in myself
I will never refuse, abandon, or scorn myself
I will always amuse, delight, and redeem myself
-------

As July nears to a close, I've been feeling the weight of my surroundings pushing down on me. It's been such a fabulous month in so many ways, I hate to see it end. And as time goes by Summer is slowly slipping away. Autumn has always been one of my favourite seasons (perhaps my most favourite of all), but having spent nearly a year and a half in a much warmer climate has changed my attitude toward cooler temperatures. It will be nice to experience the lush beauty of Fall colours once again, but I don't welcome the chill that accompanies the change of seasons. And then the harsh brutality of a Canadian Winter will descend on us ... It makes me crave the warmth of Nigeria all the more. I've been wondering lately how I could have allowed things to unfold in such a way that I was forced to leave. I thought I'd overcome my regret, my grief, but perhaps I underestimated my own capacity for accepting change. So it goes. My life has always been and will continue to be a journey. Now if only I could find my next destination and discover the means of getting there ...

Thank you, Universe -

It began with 'ah-ah! how you dey?' and ended with 'chop knuckles'. I'd spent the day brooding and missing my overseas home, feeling uncertain as to whether or not I wanted to be here and shrinking from my surroundings. I went out and had moments of significant enjoyment, but the ache persisted. I was bursting with memories and telling them to anyone who would listen. I felt overwhelmed at times, by my environment, the atmosphere, and my reminiscences. Eventually, I set out for the bus stop. Walking down Slater, I saw a group of people gathered on the sidewalk, spilling slightly into the street. I walked past them and saw a man, walking to the curb from the street, his arms open, speaking loudly to his friends. I exclaimed "ah-ah!"

It was Iyke. I asked him "how you dey?" as we approached each other. He drew his arm around me and pulled me closer, greeting me "Naija girl." His friend asked if I'd just asked "how you dey?" He was shocked and intrigued. Iyke explained I'd been living in Nigeria for 'almost 2 years' (more like a year and a half, but who's counting?). Iyke performed a demonstration for his friend, asking me "wetin dey now?" I answered "nuttin'". His friend was quite astounded by dis small oyinbo girl wey hear broken. Talking to Iyke and his friends was just the fix I needed to take the edge off my missing and loneliness, my ache for Naija. When we parted, the guy said I should hang out with them some time and they'd all speak broken. I'd definitely be up for some of that. Hanging with Femi Kuti's band members gave me a good taste which seems to have made me crave more.

So that's that. I must sleep now. I dey tired, sha.