Let the child in you come out and play
Growing up i loved our month long visits to my maternal grandparent’s house in Port Harcourt. We didn’t call it a family reunion but the six children and twenty plus grandchildren that sprouted from this family tree lived together, ate together, fell asleep together and played together, dancing in bellied laughter out in the compound till sun down.
When I look at these photographs, I remember the taste of childlike wonder, the sweetness, the made up games and stories we exchanged. The sounds of our feet running on dusty roads and the warmth of hugs and hands held. This joy, even when pain was around the corner, kept me afloat.
These days I find ways to play, in solitude and among friends that feel like family, especially when things feel hard. As I satiate the needs of my younger self, tend to her desires and preserve her spirit, I continue to heal.
