THINKING ABOUT LIFE

Now that I’ve got your full attention, I know you’re asking yourself how a window helped me get my freedom. Well, it is not what you may be thinking, but actually something slightly different, something more dramatic than it sounds. It is what it is! My siblings and I were raised by a single mother, a primary school teacher. My mother taught the first grade, while my siblings attended various upper classes in the same school. At 4-years-old, I was too young to go to school. Since my mother and siblings all went to school, I was often left behind in the house, just one of the few in the teachers’ quarters next to the school. I would be all alone in the house, spending most of my time watching TV, playing different games – that ended up boring the childhood life out of me – and sleeping. It may seem disturbing, but I was not a chaotic child. I guess that’s why my mother trusted me to the extent of leaving me all alone in the house. During break time though, my elder sister would

I couldn't believe it when I got an email about a very important meeting I had to attend in the city of high-rise buildings and notoriety. It was my first time attending any meeting. What made this meeting interesting was because it was in the city. See, being from the rural areas, you feel like you have made it in life when you are travelling to the city. So, I woke up early, prepared myself and took the early morning bus. Although the meeting was in the afternoon hours, I wanted to arrive early. I’ve always told myself that if you want to make a good impression, best be early . As I was arriving in the meeting venue, I noticed that the building I was in was very tall, just like the ones I saw since I arrived. I didn't know whether to knock on the big door or what, but I was so confused on what to do. "I don't want to embarrass myself, let me wait a bit, maybe someone will come out", I said silently pretending to be busy with my phone. In a few minutes, a

  Sometimes I do believe people who claim there’s a sixth sense in every human being. Apparently, this is the sense that usually warns a person if something bad is happening or about to happen, which is why it is important to listen to it at all times. Unfortunately, if I have this 6 th sense in me, my sixth sense never warned me when I needed it the most. Growing up as a tomboy in the rural areas was one of the most challenging experiences for me during my teenage years. Although some people understood me, many couldn't. I was always bothered by what society thought of me. My dress code and association with boys gave everybody a different perspective of me. With the passage of time, I began to not care about it! It was either I lived my life the way I wanted and be happy or live how I was expected by people and be unhappy. And so, I chose me! Some people would call me names, but I was not bothered much because I knew who I was. They did not have the right to know why I of

Some years back, I was renting a back-room run by a very religious and peaceful family. A routinely prayerful family which attended church services together. Just the type of family set up I wished to have in future. As a graphics designer, I am used to busy schedules. So, this particular Sunday was nothing unusual. I was asked to design a very challenging poster for a well-paying client and it took most of my time. Just a few minutes before finishing the poster, my sister gave me a call to assist her in one of her assignments which was due before midnight. I did not resist, I just agreed. I could hear people arguing loudly in the compound, it was my landlord and his wife. They would have some arguments in the past, but, even then, only when their children were away. As the argument escalated, becoming louder and louder, I decided to put on my headsets to keep myself away and concentrate on the work before me. While I was still focusing on what I was doing, I heard loud noise

Some people are too quick to judge, don’t worry about them. No matter what you do, they will find a way to judge you in any way they wish. And this reminds me of you. After they heard what you did, they started judging you, bad-mouthing you while at the same time pretending to care about you. Some went to an extent of calling you a coward, being selfish and ignorant. But I know that many who were in your position, would have understood what you were going through. I for one have seen your pain, and I know how much you tried reaching out to as many people as you could, especially your family, but we ignored you, told you about our own problems and turned a blind eye on you. I know how much you tried keeping your head up, for your daughter’s sake, but the burden also kept piling and you couldn’t stand it anymore. Today I am in deep thought: maybe, by our deeds, we all wanted you to give up. Remember that it has been long since we had a gathering at home. Your family members are scattere

  My love, I know that if you're reading this letter, it means you have already received the news. Perhaps you are the one who had the heavy task of informing everyone else. I also know that you are reading this with your eyes filled with tears, rolling down those beautiful cheeks which I always enjoyed to slowly caress and gently put them at ease with my soft kisses. I know that you have tons of questions, including the main reason that pushed me to the edge, for me to do what I eventually did, but my love, I am sorry that those questions will not be answered by me. But knowing you better, you will figure it out just like you always told me that you know me better than I know myself. If I may ask my love, have you seen a duck swimming? Well, I doubt you do because you are not a fan of animals. But, above the water, a duck is always very calm and collected, but underneath the water, it is trembling and struggling. Well, I guess that was me because my smile, laughter and jokes

For two years, NSFAS has brought nothing but pain and misery in my life. I view myself as a failure because I can’t pursue my dream. My peers are now on their third year of study in higher education, others on their final years because they were lucky to be accepted at first application. Last year 2021, I was accepted in the University of South Africa under Diploma in Law. But then my registration got cancelled after failing to pay the minimum fee of R4,000. NSFAS denied me funding after my application status being on “Funding Eligible” for some time. So, I spent the whole year trying to look for a job, but no luck. This year 2022, I am again accepted at UNISA for Diploma in Public Relations. Well, I changed the course because I thought they were not funding students who applied for Law but again this year I was denied funding. For two months my application status being on “Evaluation”, for months trying to gain access to my portal but it ended on telling me “Unsuccessful” appare