Day 4: Cheta Enendu

Hi Guys. My name is Cheta Enendu and I literarily want to scream out as I write this piece. Two days before Pero made the call for 31days31voices, I was reflecting especially as November was almost here. I recounted my experiences over the past 10 months and was so grateful for everything. I thought to myself, I wish I could put this down somewhere for future reflection. I opened the Instagram app 2 days later and voila! there it was. Pero’s call. I almost sent her an Instagram message that night as I could not contain my excitement but I changed my mind on that…she knows why (hahaha) just kidding girl!!

Anyway, back to the real deal. Roller Coaster year it has been for me. Yup.
The year didn’t start off so good as barely 8 weeks into the new year, I heard terrible news. I had just come off a 12-hour flight and of course I was fatigued. My sisters flat mate received me and I decided to take a nap before my sister got back. I was awoken from the nap with ‘your mom was in an accident’…. I think I passed out because I had a few minutes of darkness and blankness (whatever that means). I knew what severe palpitations meant that day. Gazillion questions ran through my mind in those few minutes. Thankfully, I was ‘brought back to earth’ with the words “she is not dead”. For those who have lost a loved one before, I understood that day that, words are never enough…only the peace that Jesus brings. I headed over to my Aunts and thank God for her faith that encouraged us. The following activities involved my jumping on a flight to go home (I was gonna go home anyway from here) and at that point it hit me that even when God allows tragedy, He makes it bearable for us (how would my family have coped if I didn’t plan to be home at that time?); sleeping in the hospital ( Nigerian work ethics though? story for another day); welcoming guests at home, cooking, cleaning, seeing my mom through rehabilitation/physiotherapy for 5 weeks and then it was time to go back to base.
I travelled back only to discover that I wouldn’t graduate where I wanted and when I wanted to which was soon. If you know me, you know I am a planner. I like to organize and plan my time and stuff to the T, almost to planning what every day of the year would look like. Here I was returning from home and all the stress, only to be given this sort of news. I was broken, tired and just plain frustrated. I wanted the year to be done already. Thank God for family and friends and all the encouragement and then the peace God Himself gave me.

This year, I learned to trust the process, to BE CALM in the process, not agitated, CALM. I am not yet as calm but God is still working on me.

If I start to talk, 2016 would be a whole book. I mean major stories and frustrations but for Grace. No lies, I did ask God questions many times and times when some of those questions were unanswered, I saw victories that I am thankful for. 2016 has been a victorious year. There were battles too numerous to list here but there were victories for every one of them…one of the victories being I am graduating! Yes!
Intentional year it was. I had decided earlier in the year to be intentional about everything and many times I wasn’t because I was struggling with either the anger or sadness that came from the different challenges I had. Gladly, the year didn’t end without my decision coming to fruition. I had moments where I was intentional, not as much as I would have loved to, but hey! one day at a time. I am happy with the outcome of being intentional (putting deliberate effort and consciousness into anything and everything).

This year, I learned not compare myself with anyone, God is taking everyone through their individual path and process and wishing to be in another person’s path might just be an unwise wish. 2016 saw me growing, trusting especially in God and wanting to become better. I am not there yet but I am definitely an ‘inch taller’. I THANK GOD!

I am looking forward to 2017 and the plans God has for me. It looks busy already but with Him, nothing is impossible!!! Here is to an Amazing 2017 for us all!!!!!!

Ps: I tried to make this short….I can gist for days and I didn’t want to end up writing a book. Hopefully, it was short enough.
Thanks Pero.

Seasons Greetings from Perry’s Tots.

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