TIME

*Please visit my new website:

https://ssdfilms.wordpress.com/

It is packed with unseen footage of my new documentary ‘Chasing Humans’, I am also using the website for one of my Master’s degree course. I would be publishing new articles on it today and every fortnight. I would also appreciate any comment and discussion on the blog.*

Thank you, guys! 🙂

Artist John Seymour Lucas 1849-1923. Dated 1885

 

The world is still reeling from the effects of Coronavirus, here in the UK, we have the second-highest number of deaths in the world. It’s nothing to be proud of, it is heart-wrenching. I know a few people who have been affected by the passing of a loved one, believe me, it is not a good place to be.

Life is beautiful and challenging at the same time. When my dad passed away, I thought the world has come to an end, and when my family and friends consoled me with the fact that, time is a great healer, I didn’t believe them.

Is time really a healer? How do we tell the thousands of people who have lost loved ones that time heals? In my experience, time doesn’t stop the pain, even time cannot replace a loved one. Time can only give you the space to grieve and come to terms with their passing.

I think of my dad every day, just like that painting of the artist John Seymour Lucas, we can never replace time lost. It’s gone forever. However, we can cherish the memories, and hold them dear to our hearts.

As I was rummaging through the cellar today and found this precious painting of the artist Seymour Lucas, so we can check through our memories and find treasures of loved ones, who have been locked safely away bursting forth in our hearts. We can recapture times of joy, of laughter permeating through the fog of sadness, shining gloriously through the tears and sorrow.

TIME doesn’t heal, it helps us in our moment of weakness, to reclaim everything we hold dear.

Much love, always! 🙂

Chasing Humans: A Poetic Film

”Human life is as evanescent as the morning dew or a flash of lightning.’‘ – Samuel Butler. I agree because life and love is a journey. Find out more in this short documentary I wrote and directed with a friend.

 

Here’s a transcript of the film:

Life is a journey, and it starts with a cry… the cry of a new-born baby. It ends with moans, groans, or the contented sigh of an older man or woman who’s led a fruitful life.

Or it can end in running feet, a chase, a stab, searing pain, blood splattered on the sidewalk, the cold street receding away as a young life flitter away into nothingness…

A life cut short…

Humans are chasing humans and killing without thought or regard for the pains inflicted on unfamiliar people.

Life can end well, or, it may end in tragedy.

Twenty years ago, I got married to the man of my dreams, and two years later, I was in the hospital, in labour, and anticipating the birth of my son.

It was a complicated process. A short life, my son passed away two days after he was born.

My life stopped briefly.

I didn’t know how to process my grief. I cried every night, and I prayed every night.

Days passed. Time didn’t wait for my grief. And I healed with the love of my husband and family.

Three months later, there was a miracle.

I was pregnant again. This time, everything felt different, but I was hiding my fears. I smiled openly while I cried and cringed inside, wondering if the new life growing inside me would live, and survive.

Nine months later, I welcomed another son.
He lives. He’s kind and makes me laugh. He’s energetic and loves life. I had two more children, a daughter and another son.

My family means everything to me.

But something is wrong.

I’ve lived in London for over fifteen years, and every time there’s a young life wasted on the streets, I remember the child I lost.

Although my son died as a new-born baby and in different circumstances, I relive the pain every time I read or watch the news of another senseless killing of young people on our streets.

My eldest son is now 17. He’s brilliant and hardworking. He had one of the best GCSE results in his school, and he’s currently studying Medicine at A levels. He wants to be a doctor. Samuel wants to help and make our society a better place for everyone.

But should I be afraid anytime he’s out of the house? Or because of the colour of his skin?

Can I have hope that things will improve, and that love may conquer hatred, racism, anger and the ugliness inherent in the human soul?

My son believes in a better society, a better world.

Rafael Benedetti wants the world to see goodness in him. Fay Beneddeti intends to champion the course of women and family. These people are keen to see positive changes in our society.

Maybe, there is hope Afterall.

I won’t be afraid anymore.

Hope, no matter how fleeting is still better than fear.

Loving humans can be a reality while chasing humans could become a myth.

I hope love wins!

I want life to end well for our young people.

Let’s start from the beginning.

Seyi Sandra David.

 

Walking The Green Mile

                                                                        (Photo credit: Flickr)

‘The Green Mile’ is a 1996 serial novel written by the prolific writer Stephen King. I watched the movie a few days ago and the finality of the film astounded me. The film also expounded on living, healing, empathy, racism, supernatural, love, and friendship,

Someone once wrote that we’re all on death row, it’s a price we have to pay for being alive. The important thing is, have we lived at all?

Now today, I would like to write about living your life to the fullest. Which brought me to this song ‘Forever Young.’ I loved it when it came out, the only song by ‘Jay-Z’ that I understood, although I must confess I don’t know the lyrics to most of the rapping but it’s a song that filled me with nostalgic memories.

Growing up in the idyllic town of Ilorin in Africa, life was simple and filled with lots of laughter. There was this carefree attitude to things, I believed I would be forever young. I was a bookworm, if I wasn’t singing in the church choir, you’ll find me in choreography practice. I loved my growing-up years.

Now twenty-five years later, things I took for granted then are so important now. The fierce sun blazing relentlessly on my pale skin, the cold December month squeezing the blood out of my lips, running away from my mum after plundering the pantry, checking my dad’s room for loose coins, chasing after my cantankerous brothers, watching horror films with my favourite brother and, daydreaming about the future!

What did I miss? Oh yes, my first kiss! Oh, my! That was something else, and I won’t be getting into that now. I am discovering new memories; I am telling new stories with my family, friends, and people I associate with.

The thing with life and living is, every moment is significant, and we need to cherish it. As we walk down the green miles of our lives, let’s leave a jolly legacy.

I intend to do just that.

I believe everyone would have a wonderful Bank holiday, at least here in the UK. If you’re my friend and reading this from other parts of the world, have a blast this weekend! 🙂

Much love, always!

 

Today’s Ours…

 

Life’s full of uncertainties, and honestly, we just have to live on regardless of what the day may bring.

How do we really deal with stuff we aren’t expecting? Do we curl up in a ball and bawl our eyes out, or do we just ride the storm? Do we fight with clenched teeth ready to conquer? I say we live each day believing that we have the strength to overcome whatever comes our way.

Ruby Dee was an American actress and writer’s whose words positively impacted my life:

Today is ours, let’s live it.
And love is strong, let’s give it.
A song can help, let’s sing it.
And peace is dear, let’s bring it.
The past is gone, don’t rue it.
Our work is here, let’s do it.
The world is wrong, let’s right it.
The battle is hard, let’s fight it.
The road is rough, let’s clear it.
The future’s vast, don’t fear it.
Is faith asleep? Let’s wake it.
Because today is ours, let’s take it.

 

 

I hope you’ll all enjoy the rest of your wonderful weekend.

Let’s live each day to the full!

Much love, always.

Treasured Links

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(Now this little girl’s what I call a treasured Link. Photo credit: Flickr)

”The truth is that we can learn to condition our minds, bodies, and emotions to link pain or pleasure to whatever we choose. By changing what we link pain and pleasure to, we will instantly change our behaviours.”

Tony Robbins

Our pursuit of wealth (or survival as my dad called it) in life is ridiculously overshadowed by things that ought to be more valuable to us like family, friends, and scheduled times to reflect and truly enjoy life. We work all day, some of us are doing two jobs to make ends meet and that doesn’t really mean we would have enough. The only thing certain in life is time, and at a point, that would also end.

Time is certainly cruel. It flies by quickly and before we know it, the tangible things left are links. But some of us destroy those links, how, you may ask? By what we choose to link our minds and memories to.

If a poor man chooses to link his memories to struggles, he may find it difficult to actually overcome poverty. And if a rich guy links his mind to his wealth, he would lose himself in the pool of his assets, and everything else would pale into insignificance. Basically, everything still boils down to our choice and perception in life.

So friends, link wisely! 🙂

Grasmere lake with autumn colours and reflections, Lake District, Cumbria, England

          Grasmere lake with autumn colours and reflections, Lake District, Cumbria, England

I haven’t been able to write an article for a while because of certain projects I’ve been involved in, which would be wrapped up soon in the first quarter of next year, God willing. I know I’ve missed a lot of awesome posts. I’ve begun the pleasurable journey of visiting as many blogs as time would allow, I can’t wait to read to my heart’s content.

I hope you’ll all have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. Hopefully, I would write one or two articles before the end of this year. Live free and enjoy every bit of your moment on this part of heaven.

Much love to you all! 🙂

 

 

 

 

Time, That Ageless Riddle…

 

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(Photo credit: Flickr)

My father loved time, he once told me that the most precious thing we could ever waste in life is time. He implored me to spend my time wisely on worthy causes, on things that give joy to me as a person, and I’ve adhered to his advice, as a result, my life is rich and fulfilling. When he passed away two years ago, his words still echo in my mind, and now I realised why he valued time so much.

Time is, and will always be a riddle. We can’t own it but we can use it wisely. How are you spending your time? Are you spending it in love? Or in anguish, hatred and discontentment?  Are you filling your days with laughter or sorrow? As we age, we reflect on days gone by, in the midst of our reflections, let’s be mindful of our time, and I think we would live it well.

 

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Finley Peter Dunne had a saying that, ‘the past always looks better than it was. It’s only pleasant because it isn’t there.’ I disagreed with his assertion. In the past, my dad lives, in the present, he’s gone. I’ve made peace with that because he’s safe with God, however, there are moments I still want to kiss his cheeks and hear him call my name. Time claimed my dad, as it would claim us at one time or another.

I love how Horace Mann puts it, ”Lost-yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever.” My dad left this earthly realm when I least expected, however, he left me with wisdom beyond my years.

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Today, I watched a new documentary by Morgan Freeman called ‘The Story Of God.’ Freeman explored the afterlife and why human beings are keen to be immortal. To me, my dad is immortal, he lives on in my breath, my thoughts and my actions. He lives on in the memories of those men and women that aren’t even related to him, and I guess when we positively touch the lives of others, we would live on in their memories whether we are alive or dead.

Our time in this part of heaven is limited, we can’t help it but we can make our lives count by being selfless and loving.

Still thinking of you Peter Nelson… Adieu, dad!

My Dad

I hope everyone would have a wonderful week ahead!

Much love, always. 🙂

Notoriety And The Human Psyche

 

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”The mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water.” Sigmund Freund.

Sigmund Freund was one of the greatest influencers of the twentieth century. He postulated the fact that our minds are like icebergs, what is seen is much different from the unseen. His quote reminded me of the story of an Australian woman, Noela Rukundo, whose husband hired assassins to kill her on a visit to Burundi for the burial of a relative. In a nutshell, the situation boomerang and he got nine years for inciting murder. It must have been a shock to Noela. Her husband certainly didn’t belie the fact he was planning her murder, this was a classic case of notoriety and the human psyche.

According to ask.com, ”The human psyche is the mind or soul. It is the center of an individual’s response to his environment.” While Cambridge Dictionary Online described Notoriety as ” the state of being famous for something bad.

 

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Love is the easiest emotion in the world, yet it could be costly and it needn’t be, love should be the backbone of our world, however, is it? I doubt it, because if it is, we wouldn’t be so divided with our different views. Some may argue that we need to exercise our freedom of expression hence the need for some people to be free to hate. Hatred would certainly make some people notorious and there are people who crave that kind of attention.

I believe love shouldn’t be all about our families and people close to us. We get suspicious of people who look and dress differently to us, we love our little space in the universe and aren’t too keen to share. We moan incessantly about the weather, the Tube (if you’re a Londoner), the government, whether we should leave or stay in the EU, (the UK again). We snort our noses at immigrants, we’re quick to judge but are slow to proffer solutions. For millennia, there are have been wars, unrest, hatred, disaffection and all sorts. Unfortunately, that is the world, it’s not perfect, that’s why we really have to raise the bar of our love level.

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Why do humans commit murder and relish mayhem? I believe the response of people to different situations differs which may ultimately be the catalyst for many destructive reactions. It’s nothing new that notoriety springs from the mind.  ‘For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him?’ 1 Cor: 2:11. This scripture is spot on! The mind is so complex that throughout millennia, people have tried to decipher its secrets.

The human psyche is as complex as the millions of electricity that pulsate through our brains, little wonder detectives bring complex cases to their behavioural psychoanalysis unit. People have recurrent patterns to their lives, following sets of rules which when pointed out to them, they are always surprised at the patterns of their behaviours.

Forgive me if my post is a bit based on psychoanalysis, it’s got to do with the books I’m working on. Lately, I’ve conducted loads of research on human minds and behaviours, when my new books are released, I guess you’ll all understand more.

I’ve been offline for the past few weeks, my sincere apologies. I’ll be visiting as many blogs as time permits. In the meantime, have fun and stay blessed! :):)

(Photo Credit: Flickr)

Much love, always. 🙂

 

 

 

A Time To Love

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(Photo credit: Flickr)

‘Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the love of God and family and to create memories that will last forever. Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift. The amazing thing is that not only are we able to receive this gift, but we are able to share it with others on Christmas and every other day of the year.’

Joel Osteen

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(I love the Lake District!)

‘Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.’

Norman Vincent Peale

The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of love and of generosity and of goodness. It illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than in things.

Thomas S. Monson

Reading these quotes reminded me of the real meaning of Christmas. It’s a time of love, a time to share, and a time to have fun. Some people aren’t so lucky to be surrounded by loved ones this Christmas but we could help in our own way by donating money, food supplies to charities like the Salvation army and spread the spirit of love wherever we find ourselves.

From my end here, I wish every one of you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! If you don’t celebrate Christmas, happy holidays!

Much love, always. 🙂

On Humanity And Idiosyncrasies

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(My ideal place to be now!)

“Man surprised me most about humanity. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” Dalai Lama

If we continually observe the world, it’s really filled with sad news, war, war, and war! Yet in the midst of the seemingly absurd, grotesque, insane, and obscene, we have to carry on living.

My husband and I were having one of our ‘philosophical chats’ when he quoted Dalai Lama, it hit me like a sledgehammer; am I working too hard?

However, after a brief soul-searching I came to this verdict: I love life, I really enjoy living even when I’m working hard and juggling multiple responsibilities with kids screaming for my attention, countless office deadlines and uncooperative plots ( my novels and several other manuscripts I’m working on).

I am absolutely certain that I enjoy my idiosyncratic attitude to living because life has no part two, there are no dress rehearsals or a delete button. We take what we have, use it wisely and hope for the best, and I think we ought to strive to find joy in life in any way we can.

December is a month of frenzy cum feverish spending, planning, office parties. Why not pause for a while, enjoy the snow-capped mountains, (if there’s one in your vicinity), the fake reindeer, and annoying Christmas jingles that normally grated on your nerves.

I intend to, I hope you’ll all enjoy everyday living.

Have a fantastic weekend friends!

Much love, always. 🙂

A Taste Of Heaven

Buttermere, Lake District National Park

(Lake District, England)

I was flying, at least several feet above the ground. I felt the warm sun on my face and the gentle breeze became my new lover by caressing my face. I saw a sea of sunflowers swaying to an imaginary music. The sight stunned me as I watched mesmerised by the awesomeness of it all. My soul was at ease, all my problems floated away into nothingness. I couldn’t remember where I was coming from or where I was going.

I was static but not in a bad way.

I knew I still had a body but didn’t feel any urge to check what I looked like. I felt a tingle on my toes and the sun shone so bright my eyelids almost hurt. I wanted to reach out and touch it, naturally, I wanted to stay there forever. I heard soft murmurings from afar and gradually, it developed into a chorus of some kind. My eyes flickered to the sunflowers again, the soft chorus emanating from the distance further heightened my sense of euphoria.

I watched and waited for what seemed like years. In the distant, I saw a hill covered in flowers I couldn’t possibly describe. It was an awesome experience. And then, I woke up and saw the worried faces of my sisters…

You can read more on this story here: https://seyisandradavid.org/2012/11/14/death-and-the-angels-of-mercy/

I’ve read and heard countless debates about life after death, my position is simple enough. I’m a firm believer in life after death. The universe and everything in it didn’t happen because of some flimsy big bang theory. It’s more than that.

The events described above were real. I had that strange experience after my heart stopped on the operating table several years ago. I didn’t see any angels but I totally experienced a brief taste of heaven and believe  me, it was as real as my fingers punching away on the laptop.

We live in a wonderful world, however, there are worlds beyond our human comprehension, beauty beyond any language known to man. I think that’s why I write more about the supernatural, I’ve experienced it so many times, I know God is real and He loves us so much.

I’ll stop here and hope all my friends would enjoy the rest of their week!

Much love, always! 🙂