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. 🙂

Brave Heart

Aug15

(Photo Credit: Flickr)

”Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” Desmond Tutu

***

John Parker wanted to tell the kind man who’d saved him from death, but the words caught in his throat. He mumbled inaudibly then coughed loudly. He desperately wanted to unburden and bare his soul to Anselm but realised his new friend would probably call him a monster.

Time dragged on, and Parker waited. The silence in the room was as thick as a winter fog. How could he utter such words to a total stranger? How could he tell Anselm that his girlfriend of 12 years had been diced to pieces and kept inside his deep freezer. Why? Anselm may ask. ‘Oh,’ he may simply shrug his skinny shoulders and just give an excuse, maybe, because he caught her cheating and their seven-year old daughter, Amber, wasn’t his after all. How could he tell Anselm that he, Parker, was a psycho, a sociopath, a sadist whose pain went deeper than imagined? How in heaven’s name could he tell his new pal that he’d been in prison; a prison of the mind where walls whispered obscenities and the only respite he got would be to slash himself open. How could he say such words?

‘I don’t think I should be in this room,’ Parker finally said and a sad sigh escaped his trembling lips. ‘I should go now.’

He stood up but Anselm stopped him with a wave of his large hands.

‘Sit down,’ the older man said firmly. Parker obeyed, his eyes staring straight ahead.

‘You’ve done bad things. I see it in your eyes. Even there’s pain in death, killing yourself doesn’t make it all go away. Get yourself treated, ask forgiveness and turn yourself in. There’s still redemption son.’

John Parker stared at Anselm. His English was flawless, he’d dropped the German accent.

‘Who are you?’ Parker asked slowly.

‘I’m your conscience,’ was the apt reply and the room began to spin.

John woke up with a start, his heart beating wildly. He sat up and checked the bedside clock. It was 3 a.m. in the morning. He’d been dreaming, it was a huge relief but the incident in the dream wasn’t far from reality, his eyes sought his wife of 12 years who was sleeping soundly. He’d been hiding the voices in his head well, it was difficult explaining to his GP that he’d been battling severe depression for three years. After the loss of his job and his wife became the breadwinner, he’d slowly sunk deeper into the quagmire of depression.

There’s only one brave thing left to do, he tapped his wife gently on the shoulder, it’s better safe than sorry, he thought.

***

NP: Guys, I’m sorry I couldn’t post this story yesterday, I tried but life just got in the way. I totally had a different plot to this story but then, it occurred to me that men hide their frailty. They go through life as brave hearts, pillars, unmovable and then they crumple! If you’re a man reading this, please, don’t bottle things up if you’re not well. Life is in phases. Talk to your spouse, close friend or even your doctor. Depression affects a lot of people in our society today and some needless deaths could easily have been avoided if things hadn’t gotten out of hand.

The first part of this story is here if you want to catch up: https://seyisandradavid.org/2015/08/11/dreaming-when-awake/

I hope you’ll all have a wonderful weekend!

Much love, always!! 🙂

Homecoming!

Jun15

Happy Father’s Day!

Today, my husband and I watched several videos of military men and women coming home after a tour of duty, and I couldn’t help but cry. Father’s day isn’t the only day to appreciate men (and women) who risk their lives to make us safe. Daily, we ought to appreciate the men in our lives, for their devotion, love, and care.

My son made the day worthwhile by giving my husband a hand-made card with this beautiful poem. With his permission, you can read it below:

When I scratched my knee,

Or if I bumped my head,

When I was afraid of the dark,

Or that thing under my bed.

When I cried that night,

Or even in the day,

You were there for me

To make it okay!

*****

His dad had a huge grin on his face and they hugged tightly. I kind of missed my dad, but I was privileged to have enjoyed almost forty years with him. To all fathers worldwide, whether you’re serving in the military, or serving to put food on the table for your family, I wish you all a Happy Father’s day!

Here’s a very heart-warming video of serving military men returning home, I wonder if you’ll shed a tear! 🙂

To the men… You Rock!!

Have a great week my friends! Please keep safe!

Much love, always! 🙂

Seyi David

Finding Solace…

May9

My dad, always with a smiling face! I got my giggles from him. I can remember him now with fondness!

Before I start on my ramblings, I want to use this medium to appreciate everyone who left a message on my website/blog, sent me poems, visited me at home when I was the least sociable, took me out to the cinema, sent beautifully written and thoughtful letters, dedicate a whole post on their blog to my dad ( Rosy, you have a heart of gold) I thank you all. From the depth of my heart, I am grateful.

I found solace in God and my friends!

My dad wouldn’t want me to mope around the house in drags, besides, the old pal was, well, old (76, I thought he would at least hit 80) He didn’t die young, that thought and the simple fact that he loved life in all its entirety makes me want to live with one singularly purpose in mind, leave a footprint in the sand of time and make people happy than they would otherwise have been.

I’m certain I have missed loads of uplifting, hilarious, thoughtful, engaging, entertaining, and simply awesome posts. I would dive in with the force of a whirlwind and read to my heart’s content; though you’ll all bear with me, it may take a while to catch up and I had started already!

I have lots of things to share, some are pretty mundane (I’m even writing a book, not on death, but living) and others, well, I would make them up as we continue on this race of ours called living!

Thanks once again my friends, your friendship and kindness made my time away bearable. I found my solace in God and You my friends

I love you guys! 🙂

Seyi David

Avalanche

Feb8

(Photo Credit: Flickr)

Pete stared at the papers in his hands and his blood froze.

Amanda, his wife of five years wanted a divorce, what a way to start the year! He sat down wearily on the bed as his mind raced to the red-head beauty who bumped into him at Mile End underground station in London – she had apologised profusely and they got talking. Within weeks, their romance blossomed. As an Investment Banker, Pete had little time to woo her but Amanda more or less took control of his life.

Within two years, they were married, and his parents were delighted. A year after marriage, Amanda was desperate for a child, he wasn’t that bothered. After all, he’s always holed up at his office in the City, slaving away to make as much money as he could. They hardly spend time together and deep down, he knew it could be the reason she wanted out. They love each other, why would Amanda think divorcing him would make her life better? The noise of his phone disrupted his reminiscing and he grunted before picking it up from the bedside table.

‘Yeah,’ Pete drawled and listened, then clicked it shut. Switzerland. He’d totally forgotten about the holiday he’d pre booked weeks earlier. Like a slow motion, hope began a painful ascent in his mind. Maybe, just maybe, time away from their usual life in London would spice things up a bit, and talk of divorce would disappear.

Half an hour later, Amanda strolled into the room, avoiding any eye contacts.

‘Shouldn’t we at least talk about this?’ Pete asked quietly, waving the papers in his hands. He couldn’t stop staring at his wife, whose hourglass figure never ceased to amaze him.

‘We’ll talk when we get to Switzerland,’ she replied. Pete laughed and said lightly, ‘Women and holidays!’

But there was something different about her. He stood up and pulled her into his arms, he was half expecting her to resist but she didn’t.

‘Is this what you want honey?’ he mumbled into her hair, rocking her as he would a day old baby.

Amanda swallowed hard, then closed her eyes. How could she back track now after realising the root of their problems? Divorce was the only way out, or so she thought…

………

NP: I was supposed to have posted this on Thursday but I was extremely busy, I would have to make this a two or three-part series. Amanda and Pete are a couple whose story touched me deeply. It’s also a true story, but as usual, I would change their names to protect their identity and add elements of fiction to it as well. I would post the next part sometimes next week, at least before Valentine’s day. Martin Luther said something that touched me: ‘There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.’

Call me a traditionalist, but my parents have been married for almost fifty years, they had their good, bad, and excellent times but they stuck together. Now I think they’re best of friends.

I hope you would have a peaceful, restful and enjoyable week. I intend to!

Much love, always! 🙂

The Beast

Feb3

(Photo Credit: Flickr)

Laura had trouble sleeping, she watched enviously as her husband slept soundly like a baby. She closed her eyes and willed her body to relax, fifteen minutes later, it worked, and she drifted off into a fitful sleep. Claps of thunder woke her up hours later, reluctantly, she opened her eyes and listened as flashes of light competed in a show of power. However, amidst the thunderous symphony, she also detected a faint but familiar sound, she listened and froze with fright when she realised it was the voice of Anna, her fourteen year old daughter.

She turned to touch her husband, but he wasn’t there. Panicking, she leapt out of bed and slowly crept down the stairs. Someone was in her home, a stranger. Her heart in her mouth, she moved stealthily, afraid to alert the intruder. By now, Anna was howling, Laura threw caution to the wind and breezed into the kitchen, grabbed a large knife and dashed into her daughter’s room.

Ashley, her husband of eighteen mouths was lying on top of her daughter, naked waist down. Anna stopped crying when she saw her mother and Laura felt alien, as she seemed to move out of her body… Swiftly, she raised the knife above her head.

………..

Two years later, Anna walked briskly down a hallway, her heart beating with love. It was Valentines Day, and, the love of her life is in prison. Many people called her mother a beast, but she knew that it was her Step-father who was the real beast. He had repeatedly raped her, threatening to kill her mother if she uttered a single word to a living soul. As far as Anna was concerned, the death of Ashley was a welcome relief. Her mother would be out in a couple of years, and with her mother by her side, life couldn’t be better. They would live happily ever after!

………….

NP: I am a realistic writer, if you’ve read any of my books, you should know by now that I’m not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, and this was a very difficult topic for me to write. Many women are trapped in abusive relationships, where their partners are raping or had raped their daughters – it’s an ugly scenario. But it could be stopped: there are warning signs really, when your partner is unduly interested in your daughter, that leery, lustful look is often too glaring to hide, (mind you, not all Step-fathers are Ashley!) Left for me, I wish all marriages ended with ‘the happily ever after theme,’ but that would be living in a fairy tale world. Even though I don’t support what Laura did, the beast in some people cannot be tamed, they can only be stopped!

………….

Where there are beasts, there are also saints. Like Hugh Mackay would say: ‘ Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational.’

I hope you’ll all have a pleasant week. I’ll be back on Thursday with a very interesting topic in my ‘happily ever after theme!’

Much love, always!

🙂 🙂

Ever After?

Feb1

(Photo credit: Flickr)

‘Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.’

Aristotle.

******

Alero kneaded the dough and used her free hand to mop her sweaty brows. Her husband was away on business but she noticed the surreptitious glances threw her way by the neighbours and it saddened her. Abel is the love of her life but of recent, she had trouble believing the ‘happily ever after’ theory.

A shrill sound interrupted her sad thoughts and she walked briskly to the living room, picking up the landline phone and whispered hoarsely, her voice constricted with tears.

‘Hello.’

‘Hey darling,’ Abel, her husband of five years, said slowly on the other line, ‘are you okay? You sound awful.’

She gritted her teeth then replied carefully, trying in vain to control the turbulent emotions coursing through her, ‘when are you coming home?’

‘I’m outside the door!’

Alero dropped the phone and flew to the door, she flung it open and saw Abel kneeling down on one knee, a huge grin on his brown face.

‘Forgive me darling, I promise to love you forever!’

She didn’t know what to say.

Abel stood up slowly and clasped her in a tight, warm embrace. Alero was limp in his arms, she felt nothing. Few seconds passed then she asked,

‘What exactly do you want me to forgive you for?’

‘The ‘ever after’ marriage is not a bed of roses. I have flaws my love, as you do, but we can work through it all.’

Alero now understood, and she held her husband tightly, wondering if ‘happily ever after’ is not a myth after all.

*******

In the spirit of ‘Valentine,’ I would be exploring a lot of relationships and how we could turn more towards the ‘happily ever after’ theme. Forgiveness and tolerance is the key for the success of any human relationship. Love conquers all…

Enjoy your weekend friends!

Much love, always!

🙂

A Place Of Rest…

Jul3

A place of rest is a place of freedom

Where you eat with contentment.

Where peace flowed unhindered

And shames are banished away.

A place of rest is where hope is found

Skipping with the legs of a deer

On the clear lake of renewal.

Where darkness flee with fear and

Love plays in the open.

A place of rest is when mankind stop

the madness of war.

When babes and toddlers juggle with delight in the sun…

When the smile of old men mingle with the chuckle of the maidens.

A place of rest is when harvest is not hampered

by the roars of the terrible.

And where men love truly and women’s breast flow with the milk of kindness.

Freedom does not only give rest… It also gives peace.

But remember, freedom and independence means just one thing,

Responsibility!

***

To all my American friends and others around the world, have a nice 4th of July and happy independence day! I firmly believe that finding rest lay solely with us – it might seem preposterous but guys, it’s true. Only you, can put your mind at rest. Looking around you, might expose what is not working, but do remember that we live in an imperfect word!

NP: Arrow Gate publishing just released a press release about my novel, ‘The Feet Of Darkness,’ Please click on this link http://uk.prweb.com/releases/thefeetofdarkness/arrowgatepublishing/prweb10879291.htm , share and do like Arrow Gate on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arrow-Gate-Publishing-Ltd/439011756170290 and follow on twitter, https://twitter.com/arrowgatebooks

Thanks for that friends!

Much Love, always! Don’t forget – live well.

🙂

And They Were Men!

Jun16

(Glenda Otero)

Rippling muscles, maybe none!

Great smiles, baritones voices;

They searched for food, they found a home,

They looked for success, they found contentment,

Great men don’t have to be in your screens,

Great men were not born

They were made.

Not all are fathers…

Not all fathers are great…

Some, were just men.

One great man said,

”No other success in life – not being President, wealthy, or going to college, or writing a book, or anything else – comes up to the success of the MAN ( or woman) who can feel that they have done their duty and their children and grandchildren rise up and call them blessed!”

”President Theodore Roosevelt”

I think President Roosevelt was right. Nowadays, we have so many absentee fathers but I’m not going to dwell on that today! I just want to praise great men, like my dad, my husband, Alastair Forbes, Freddie, Roderick Craig Low… just a few among the throng of really great men. Happy father’s day to you guys, we (your daughters, wives, partners, friends,) appreciate you.

I hope you are enjoying your day and I hope you’ll have a fantastic week as well.

Much love, always!

🙂 🙂

And I watched…

Mar21

(Photo credit: Glenda Otero)

And I watched through the centuries as men

protected their young, their women, their homes.

And I watched as men built kingdoms, roads and empires.

And I watched as men walked the moon, save the sick, put food on the table.

And I watched in awe as great men worked tirelessly,

To save the world.

Men of timber and calibre, men who love with simplicity.

Men who shoulder responsibilities without squirming.

Men with the courage of lions who turned away from no foes.

And I watched my dad, husband, sons, brothers, relatives, friends

Try to live their footprints in the sands of time.

I love men.

I married one, a daughter to one, a mother to two.

Men are great, and the few and rotten who rape women,

who kill and plunder are not MEN.

They are NOTHING!

I want to pay tribute to great men, to my father, Peter Nelson, you are adored in my eyes, to the man who married me, Kay, I love you with all my heart, you complete me, to great men I have met on my blogging journey, they are many and I hold you all in the highest esteem! To my girlfriends and sisters, (don’t be jealous, I love you, you know that!)

God bless you all!!

Love always! 🙂 🙂

Seyi Sandra David.