Memories are good, they are part of our lives. There are times when I remember old memories upon my bed, I laugh because they give me joy and happiness.
There are memories I don’t want to remember because of the bad feeling I experienced. When I was a child, there was something my father always did which was to buy clothes for every one of us as his children.
Christmas is a big festival in my village, we celebrate it 24-27. This is the moment when family members that have traveled for a long time come home to celebrate it. It is a moment of joy for me because of the new faces of family members, friends and relatives.
One of the reasons why it was a happy moment for me was that, I have sibling that used to come home to celebrate charismas, and whenever he came home, he used to buy me clothes and other things.
There was a time he came home and he wanted to take me along because of his love toward me. My father refused it because he also loved me and does not want me to leave his side for any reason.
My father said, “whatever you want tell me I will provide it for you, if you leave me alone, I won’t be able to cope without. You are the apple of my eyes and if I give him permission to take you, I will be alone; and I don’t know how they will treat you over there. I am more worried about you than myself”.
I wasn’t happy because my father refused to let me go with my elder brother; after a few days he left and I forgot everything.
MY CHRISMASS CLOTHES
When I was a child, my father used to give my mother money to get us clothes. When my mother went to the market, she would get the one she loved which was native materials to sew. Wearing this new cloth on Christmas day was something I loved so much; I don’t know why joy overflowed me because my parents used to buy clothes for us on every occasion and even without occasion. I don’t know why this charismas cloth is different.
The name of the fashion designer that used to sew our clothes was Zicco, the moment this man took our measurement, since then I would be visiting him maybe he has sewed the materials. I don’t even know maybe he sewed the cloth very well or not, my own was to see my clothes being sewed.
There was Christmas, the fashion designer did not sew my clothes on the 24 of December. I went to my father crying that he did sew my clothes, and my father went in the evening time to talk to me, and he assured my father that he would sew it that day and the clothes would be ready tomorrow.
I was with the tailor till 8:00pm before I left his shop. He cut the material in my presence and told me that I should go home, and collect it early in the morning.
Early in the morning, I went to the tailor’s office, I saw that my clothes were completed, I collected my clothes with joy and went home.
While I was going home, I removed the clothes inside the nylon, and I was looking at it; I fell inside the small pit that contained dirty water, and all the clothes were stained.
I cried from that point to my house, and when my mummy saw me with dirty clothes, she collected the clothes, watched them and put them in the sun.
She was begging me to stop crying. After 30 minutes, she took the clothes from where she spread them and ironed them.
What a joy again when I saw my clothes cleaned; I put on my clothes and headed to the playing ground to meet my friends.
Playing with friends, and new faces in the playground was so wonderful. I called it a playground because most of the people in the village and people from outside village came here to play on festival days. It is a popular place in my state.
CHRISMAS NIGHT
Charismas night is always a sweet night for some children, the reason why Christmas night was a happy moment for me was because that was the only my independent day without telling me that it is already night.
My parents were very strict, especially my father. By 8:00pm, you have to be in your room reading. If my father comes to my room, and he does not see me, I am in trouble.
He expected us, me and my older brother to be in the room by 8:00pm. If he comes to our room and he does not find us, there must be punishment for us and we don’t dare to violate his rules.
Christmas’ night was the only night I could toil in my village till the next morning without being questioned by my father.
I got home from school by 5:pm, ate my food, did some house chores and played for hours. This play was never enough for me, I just want to play more till 10:00pm or beyond.
I called it my independent day because I was free to play till the next day, my father doesn’t bother whether I sleep early or not.
Being free is good, and I felt this joy and happiness within me. I wanted this to be every time as a child, but it was not possible for me.
This was the reason Charismas Day was my happiest moment.
I stand up for success, and success is not achieved by merely making mouth, No room for laziness, no room for idleness.