If only life can be as refreshing as it used to be. The heat had become so scorching and the hope of rain falling felt weakened. I looked up into the sky silently praying for the rain to fall even if it was just a bit. I could feel the sweats gathering under my armpits dripping and cooling down the skin beneath. The rain had fallen a great deal the previous month but that did not guarantee relief. The heat still lingered although it was not as scorching and terrible as this one
Source:All images generated by Ai
It was the last day of the year. I sat on my bed watching one of my favourite shows, The Good Doctor, a series i often binge watch. Some might think i am obsessed with it due to the fact that i rarely explore other genres, but the story always draw in . It follows an autistic man turned surgeon who had to prove to the other doctors that being autistic doesn't mean he is incapable or can't perform surgery. It made me see life through a different lens: persistence, competence, self improvement, curiosity and determination despite his setbacks. I got so engrossed that i lost track of time until my alarm rang 6pm and then i jumped and exclaimed 'shit, i dont want to be late to the cross-over night'
The crossover night is one of the programs greatly anticipated by christians at the last day of the year. It is a time we gather and pray for the coming year, celebrating with others as we cross into the new year. I never like to miss it as i love the idea of praying intentionally for the following year and sharing that moments with others. It makes me approach the following year with a whole different mindset wnd i strongly believe in those prayers as my new year often unfolds as answered prayers
The program was scheduled by 8pm and i still needed to take my bath. I stumbled upon my the previous year's resolutions while looking for my journal. Scratch that, i was a bit nostalgic and wanted to see if i achieved my last year's resolutions. I sniffed at it before i opened it and then i remembered i hadn't attended the last crossover service and wondered if that absence had affected how the year began for me. I have noticed that when i cry on the first day of a new year, i find myself crying on some days even with or without a particular reason. That is why most times, i try to enter each new year with happiness and smiles.
I dashed to the bathroom to take my bathe and dressed for the crossover night in a typical long dress, cardigan and an unforgettable scarf. I did not want the African Christian mothers giving me side eyes as they took wearing of scarves in one way or the other pretty serious. I packed my black New King James Version Bible inside my sling bag waited in the sitting-room to accompany my family to church.
A few minutes later, we packed our stuff and headed to the church. The church service was beautiful . Our general overseer preached for the night and after that we all jumped and shouted 'Happy New Year!' . We then went around shaking hands with members and the church, wishing one another an happy new year. We prayed and ended the service and eventually headed home around 12:45am.
The sound of rain woke me up the next morning. Half-asleep, i touched my ears, unsure if i was not hearing wrong or if i was imagining. But, It was indeed raining. The Rain-water swept through the floors of our compound, it was as if it had some cleansing properties, that made our compounds clean and swept. The heat had subsided a bit and the air felt cool and refreshing. We hurried outside to put some buckets outside to collect the water from the rain. I smiled feeling like this was a new year's blessing, as if God had seen how intense the heat was and decided to answer us with rain.
I used the collected rain-water to water the plants in my nursery. I also sptinkled some on some flowers that i had been nurturing. For the first time this year, i felt so alive. The water was indeed refreshing and the ground beneath my feets was cold. I became alive with hope again.
Indeed, when there is life, there is hope.