Walahi, 2022 showed me shege sha! But I couldn’t have asked for a better year….. though I will. 2023, I’m begging in advance. If I choose to be honest with my words and bare my heart in these phrases, 2022 was the year I found life. It was the year my tears felt like thunderstorms and my laughter was louder than a lion’s roar. 2022 was one word, wild.
My parents had thrown me into the deep waters of independence in the last months of 2021. Reality took a couple of months to set in because Detty December was proudly sponsored by ‘My mummy is not calling me’ and my sister’s IJGB bank account. I was living life and not paying a dime for it. Until the 99 days in January hit and I began to chorus “God Abeg!” I held a grudge towards my independent friends for a month or two because if they loved me, they would’ve told me that adulting and independence were scams. But I had already stepped onto the dance floor and dance, I must.
After many calls to my mum, and words of comfort from my father, I accepted that it was time I experienced life as an independent woman, shaping my thoughts, building myself and owning my own space. In these months, I have discovered more about myself than I knew in 24 years. The greatest discovery being that I actually like to party and I’m a workaholic.
2022 was the year I made decisions for myself and not for anybody else, it was the year I lived life like there was no tomorrow. I said more yeses than I said nos. I said yes to challenges, to opportunities, to new friendships, to family, to love, to life. I said yes to my happiness and myself.
This year I let my guard down and let people in. I learnt to allow myself to be loved and spoiled and I enjoyed every bit of it. This year, I planned my 25th birthday for 6 months. My sister was at my birthday for the first time in 10 years. It remains the happiest day of my life and I can only be thankful for the amazing souls perfectly placed to make this year everything that it was. This year I achieved ten times more than I set out to.
In 2022 I learnt that if I ask, I will receive, If I seek, I will find. I knocked and many doors were opened before me. Though the challenges felt like they would never end, I felt an unusual comfort in my soul that everything would be alright. I was sure. This year I learnt the true meaning of the saying “Life is not black and white”, Omo! Shades of grey plenty o! Many shocking shades for that matter, shades I had never seen before. This year, I prayed more times than I have since my last Sabbath in uni, 5 years ago. In all, I am thankful.
I am thankful for God’s love. I am thankful to my family for constantly pushing me to be the very best version of myself. I am thankful for my work family, Humans of Transcorp are the bomb.com! I’m thankful for my HOD and GHOD, the best coaches in the game! I am thankful for my able big bros. I am thankful to the H.O.T Girls for being my sisters and my inspiration. I’m thankful to the DJ at the wedding party I attended on the 30th of April, what an unforgettable night. I’m thankful to Asake, for getting me through the day with his back-to-back hits and tongue-twisting lyrics. Finally, I’m thankful to myself, for being THAT Chick!
As for Detty December and 2023, I’ll leave you with these words, I’m loaded!
