We all have different perspectives on different things especially with the way we treat people. Our perspective plays a huge role on how the people around us are treated. The mental view or paradigm that you have about someone or something, would in no small way determine how well you treat that person or thing.
I had an uncle from my maternal side whom I admired a lot. He was my idol and he earned this spot in my heart because he always bought me snacks as a child and he would shield me from my mom's beatings whenever I defaulted.
He was exceptionally good to me to the point that those around us who observed his fondness for me claimed that he was spoiling me rotten…but who cares. There wasn't a time he said ”no” to my requests and that made me value him more.
Well, the only constant thing in life is change… right? And with that change comes a shift in the way that things and persons are viewed. My shift in perspective towards my uncle happened during my mid teenage years. Funny though, it wasn't really a big deal but I guess that the immaculate picture I had painted of him in my mind finally had a stain that could not be wiped off.
It happened one sunny afternoon. I had just gotten back from school and as was my usual routine, I would seek out my uncle in his room first. This was to greet him and also hint at any request for some snacks his way 😁.
But as soon as I opened the door and stepped in. The smell of smoked weed wafted through my nose and then my eyes landed on my uncle sitting with his friend in his room and they were……smoking.
I couldn't believe my eyes nor my nose. ”Who has bewitched my uncle ?” I thought as I ran out of his room to get some fresh air. From that period, I never saw him as my hero again.
I recall that we had been taught that smokers are liable to die young. ”So why does my uncle want to die young?” I thought again as the scene I had witnessed kept playing an encore in my mind.
Moreover, heroes were supposed to be upright and decent. I never saw any fictional hero smoke and so it dazed my mind that my uncle would smoke. To me, he was a perfect hero, spotless and innocent.
Maybe I was the one who held him at such a high pedestal…maybe. But the fact was that we were never the same again. I began to minimize my interactions with him and the fondness bridge broke.
Although he is deceased now, I still hold onto the good memories of our friendship. When he was my perfect, innocent and spotless hero😁.
Thanks for reading. This is my response to the #marchinleo prompt for day #27.
Images used are mine.