Cycles
A short story.
In 2022, Cowrywise hosted a Father’s Day getaway for their users and their dads. I got the invite, though I wondered how I’d ever be able to convince my dad to attend as he wasn’t the social bird like his daughter.
I summoned courage and called him from the office that day because even though we lived together, I was mostly on my way out when he was awake and would have been in dreamland by the time he was back from work.
Plus, I was still not sure of what response I would be getting from him, so a phone call was a better way of receiving the rejection.
Immediately after I finished describing the event, he told me he would be available to go with me to the event.
On D-Day, He woke up early before me and was already set way before I did. I remember my mum teasing us.😂
It was interesting to see because it felt like those days when your parents want to take you out for an event or party and you suddenly can’t sleep well because of excitement. Just that this time around, the table was flipped. 😉
I got ready in my pretty mixed-colour Ankara print, I wanted my outfit to compliment what he wore and it did. In about an hour, we were set to leave the house. Now if it were me, I’d have taken public transport, but nah, I’m not going to let this man hop from buses/Keke, not when I can afford it even though my account wasn’t smiling. I told myself that I’d manage before my next pay came in. Anything for you my daddy.
I ordered a Bolt ride and fortunately, unlike other days, I found one. My environment is not bolt/uber friendly, so getting a ride to pick you up is always a miracle.
We got into the car, my dad sat at the front with the driver while I sat behind him. We got to the Cowrywise Office and met some of the team members who would be our hosts and other users who came with their fathers.
The program started and we got to the point where our dad had to talk about what their child does for a living. My dad didn’t know what I did for a living but he knew it was legal and I’m always on my computer.
Just like when you’re younger or still a child, and you don’t know exactly what your parents especially your father do for a living. All you know is that he leaves the house in the morning and comes back home at night with goodies.
This is not even because your father doesn’t want you to know, but you won’t be able to understand what he does, so he won’t tell you until you are older.
For me, my Dad/parent knew I work with a laptop and I’m well paid enough to afford my needs and give to them now and then.
We had a good time playing games and the photoshoot session. Time to go home, I couldn’t get a ride in time because of the reason I mentioned earlier.
I eventually got one that insisted on dropping us off a bus stop away from our area which meant we had to cross the express and take a bike home. We did, with all the bags and baggage. He told me he enjoyed himself and wouldn’t mind going to more events like that.
Once upon a time, it used to be my father who was striving to make me happy. The days when he’d come back home with coconuts because I love coconut and bread, the days when I could beg for small fish or whatever protein was on his dinner or lunch. The days when I cajoled him to give me money for church offerings or because I wanted to make my hair.
I’d make the hair and show him when he’s back for him to see what his money produced and how beautiful I looked. The days when I’d sleep on his chest just to hear his heartbeat. I miss those days.
Now, the table has flipped, and I have to do the same for him though not the exact same thing. It gladens my heart when I get him a gift and he’s full of smiles and prayers for me. It makes me happy that I can share my wealth with him, just as he did for me when I was younger.
A time will come when my (future) husband and I will have to play the role my parents played in my life, and I am looking forward to that season of my life.
The older we grow the more the cycle changes and what matters more is what we do with the season where we find ourselves. Some of the things we cringe at today probably brought us excitement years ago, and we may probably cringe at the things that excite us in years to come.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but what may be wrong is if we choose not to let go of what we are used to when growth happens.
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