DAY 18: IDOWU DABIRI

This is an interesting one. Enjoy 🙂
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It seems so much like just yesterday when I was running away from Mz Perry on account of not writing my article. Actually it is almost 365 days!!! How time flies.

To prove to you that I am better this year, here I am in the luxury of my apartment – actually a three-man OPH room (do not be deceived) – typing “what I am thankful for” and not running away from Mz Perry. This year is so much worth thanking GOD for. I certainly didn’t have it all rosy but I had it all lovely. It wasn’t all ‘goodly’ but trust me, it was all GODly.

This year has been a year of many lessons from the start even till now. In all these experiences I learnt to be a better person. In the weirdest of ways this year, GOD brought out issues in my life HE did not quite agree with and dealt with them one by one. There was the issue of jealousy and HE told me how much HE loved me for who I was per time and situation. How I did not need to be jealous of anyone. There was also the issue of pride and some other things like that. HE helped me with them all. I forgave myself this year for something I had been holding on to for almost five years and became more aware of a part of GOD – Mercy. I also realized that unknown to me, there were certain things I didn’t need but was holding on to. I learnt and I’m still learning to let them go. I understood friendship and learnt to be a better friend to people.

One thing I hoped for last year was to learn how to love truly. HE taught me and is still teaching me this. I learnt that love is not always saying yes to a person or giving all the time; love also says no but it does that for good. I learnt how to say no when I had to. My love story with GOD this year is the best so far. HE showed HIMSELF as a bestfriend, lover, counselor, teacher (there were times HE lashed me), father, savior, LORD etc. No wonder HE gave HIMSELF the name “SUPERNATURAL WONDER” this year. I wonder what HE’s gonna give HIMSELF this coming year. *keepingmyfingerscrossed* Hearing from GOD was awesome this year and manifesting the gifts was divine. At times, I just look, wonder and ask, “Why do you love me so?” and “Why me LORD?” In all my unfaithfulness and faithlessness, HE remained a faithful GOD.

School is a major aspect especially in the life of medical students. Fifth year came with its accompanying stress. There was community health! Oh community health. Don’t get me wrong. I did not have any issue with community health as a course infact I aced it from the beginning to the end. The only challenge I encountered that made me cry several times was Project. *I’m gonna dedicate a whole paragraph to my project life*. From the long lectures to the Pakoto experience to MCH, urban and GMP posting, community health was fun. I learnt something special in GMP posting which is “In any place and circumstance you find yourself make sure you do what is right because you do not know who is watching.” Two months after GMP posting in a stranger’s hospital, I found out that that stranger is my aunt. She was nice to all of us and I was a good student. You can imagine what it would have been if either of us was naughty. #awkwardmomentatrealization. Exam came and I thought I was going to break community health record and get a “D” but GOD had a different plan.

From the very beginning of project to now (when I am finally counting down to rounding up) was enlightening. See, I was given a very nice supervisor who had his ways of doing things. He was very different from the others. I won’t go into too much detail. He did not do what other lecturers were doing chasing their supervisees up and down to work. He took us as adults. This brought a sad reality to me. I was not the adult I claimed to be. I was not as mature as I thought I was. Maturity is the ability to take a decision and be accountable for its results. I wasn’t! but I have learnt and it will not be taken away from me. To show you how challenging it was for me, every message and call from home (kdabs inclusive) had either the introduction, body or conclusion centered around project. It made me cry. I felt like I was disappointing the ones I loved most. People kept asking about project so it got to a point that I changed the name to ‘work’ like “Í have work to do” and “I am going to work on my work”.  I was tired of saying project and looking unserious. To tell you the truth, I tried my best. I pushed as hard as I could but still had issues. A sudden reality just hit me. You know when GOD tells you to push a very big rock and you push real hard but it still doesn’t move. You nag and complain and tell GOD it didn’t work. And GOD smiles and says, “Who told you it didn’t work? Who told you I wanted you to push the rock away? Check your muscles, you are stronger. That’s what I want. Prepare! I have a mission for you to carry out on my behalf.”

I started jogging too. Yeah! I don’t think I typed this well to represent what actually happened. No lies. The actual truth is, sometime in August I think, I started jogging and did it for about two months and it was regularly irregular. I left my joggers hanging in front of my locker for about 2 months after stopping for motivation. I actually put them back in my box this past weekend telling myself that I wasn’t going to deceive myself. NO to deception. See, when I am finally ready to continue, it would not cost me much to bend down and get it from my box. That in itself is exercise. Lol. Did I tell you that I started sewing lessons? Yes, I did start sewing lessons and I hope to become a professional soon. I also want to go a step further in my baking skills. *Singing* Step by step, gift by gift, GOD is making me into the woman HE wants me to be.

I moved into one of the best rooms ever. Some people say it is the finest in OPH but what can I say…#blush. My roommates are darlings. Is it ‘Sandy baby’, the lady with few words but very wise or ‘Ifeomzy Malomzy’, the multi-tasker? I gave the nicknames and I don’t think Malomzy has a meaning. Writing about them now is feeling me with so much emotion. They are just wonderful people. Great people. We fight to do the house chores like wash plates, fetch water, sweep. Cool right? This is how it goes. Sandra jumps from her bed after eating fried plantain and carries the dirty dishes Idowu and Ifeoma just finished using in the room and goes out to wash them. Idowu and Ifeoma immediately leave what they are doing to join in. Sandra says, “Don’t worry jo, they are not many”. Ifeoma and Idowu fight their way through. Idowu goes off to get water for the dishes. Then Sandra changes her face and gives Ifeoma the stern look. Ifeoma is a boss, she is not gonna be moved but the sight of Sandra’s ‘smh’ face drives Idowu to the room leaving Ifeoma and Sandra to do the dishes. Hmmn. We don’t talk much but I think we love much. That’s what I think. I also think I am the mischievous one in their midst. And it’s fun disturbing them. And I love them so much. See, GOD has his ways of always blessing me with good roommates that usually become great friends. The evidence is from year one till now. By the time this is posted, this would have happened but I can let you salivate a little. My roommates and I kinda love cakes, so we are thinking of ordering a big one and sitting down to eat and share with friends that come around. I’m also thankful to GOD for the 18th of October.

My favorite people in the world were wonderful this year. Of course we had the trying times but GOD remained faithful. We had the first family holiday in years… at least since I can remember. It was a week to know one another better. I realized how much we all have grown and I think dad also realized how much his baby girl had grown. 😀 . Standing in a big mall with some cash to spend on whatever I wanted during the holiday made me realize that things of this world are ephemeral and will pass away with time. Is it the shoes? (I love shoes… especially high-heeled sandals with dazzling stones). They will become either old-fashioned or spoilt or something. You cannot base your happiness or satisfaction on worldly things. They are vanity. There are always new things every second. It is only GOD that can satisfy. So anytime you want to shop, don’t be selfish, be a blessing to someone. “We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give”. Really! I also went to the village with the family. After then, I have been wishing a Yoruba lecturer will ask me what they are fond of. “Eyin omode oni e o mole, nigbawo le lo le gbeyin?” meaning “You these modern children, you do not know your roots when last did you go to your village?” It’s almost 6months and they have not asked me. Mschewww.

2015,
I hope to live a better Christian life. 2013, HE taught me to be grateful for each minute I’m alive; 2014, HE is teaching me how to live my best life each minute. 2015 will be greater.
I’m thankful to GOD for the New Year and I hope we have a peaceful election with great leaders.

Pause! Please let’s pray for a peaceful election and a better Nigeria this minute.

Continue…

There are a lot of things I hope for personally in this New Year. I hope to take giant steps in the area of family, friends, education, career, talents and life purpose. Possibly this year, GOD might merge the two distinct ‘life companies’ that have been under construction so that we have three people (GOD, me and Hmmmn) owning the companies that will burst into a GOD-defined Empire. #wink.

All I can do is keep my Faith alive and look up to HIM for a better New Year.
SPIRIT lead me where my trust is without borders…

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a GOD-filled New Year.

GOD bless you all. 🙂

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