Thursday, August 11, 2011

How i became the inglorious basterd that i am.



I spoke to a friend today and my heart felt like lead - out of sadness for him, and as a result of the buried emotions within me i'd long tried to stifle. But today it all came out like a dam overflowing its ugly banks, as i remembered all that made me the basterd i have become today.


7 years ago and some heated words still never heal. You can only disown a child once and its best done on his 20 something birthday.

Mother: It's either you choose this family, or that girl! Let me know your choice today!
T.N: (Quiet)
Mother: So you will not let her go?
T.N: (Quiet)
Mother: Then, You are not my child! It's your life, do it as you wish!
T.N: (Quiet)

The arguments were replayed every single day. Looking back,i wonder how i maintained a single opinion for so long.Me myself, i get strong head sha.
Mother: What is wrong with you?!How difficult is it for you to break up with a girl?!
T.N: Because all of the reasons you have slated,as far as i am concerned hold no weight. I am entitled to my own opinion- in the choice of the person I WILL SPEND the rest of my life with.I,not You.
Mother: She must have given you something to eat! They must have taken your name somewhere, that's what it is,isn't it?!
T.N(Dry laugh): Then there must not be a God up there. If there is a God, then the authority and faith we hold in Him should be bigger than voodoo and charms. If at all she was that sort of person-we know she is not.
Mother: You are just a child. You cannot understand.

For some reason, that one always stung the most. Being thought to be a fool, even when it was easily acknowledged that i used to be one everyone relied on in those days. I was supposedly the most spiritually inclined; I held the best grades (i must have at least been reasonably smart right?), i was the most introspective, i thought everything deep and through. She used to come to me for advice when everything was falling apart. Now all of a sudden, i am a fool.

T.N (Dry laugh): I guess i am a child then. I'll wait to grow up and understand. Till that day,i cannot do something that's against what i know to be true.


Its hard to go back to those days...the words were too deep and too hard. They cut deep and made bleed. Desperate,I sought counsel everywhere. I needed to be sure that i wasn't making a big mistake. But the others didn't see a big deal in any of the stress. The older pastors didn't, the counselors didn't,my older friends didn't, and worse still,i didn't. So how could i have walked away??

I remember my heart growing colder for all the four years that turmoil dragged on. I stopped caring...i stopped living...i receded deep within to protect the only thing that made sense in those days.I hate going back to those days.Dark dark days.I left the house when it reached its peak.I had the choice to stay i Lagos for nysc, or give up my privileged influence with the nysc authorities. I didn't care, i didn't want to be there anymore. So i walked far away. But pain does not reduce with space/distance. When i came back from the east,something had broken within, i was not the same person anymore. I changed.


There are many ways to consider the issue of parental discontent with your spousal relationship. Acknowledgely,in many instances, it turned out the child was wrong and was short sighted. But in some rare instance-like my friend's whose story i listened to today,there just couldn't be any visible sign to suggest that he is being the fool. Everything just seemed right...And in other instances,even where the danger signs are obvious,there is the element of love-so deep. Ahhh,the emotion is a funny thing,and can run stronger and deeper than we could ever imagine.My friend quoted from the final chapters of romeo and juliet,explaining that in some stories,both parties could just not bare the thought of living without each other, they'd rather die. And many have died for love. It's very common in india and asia even these days- i was surprised myself to find out. Ofcourse I don't succumb to the death decision (lol), but i understand where the idea may be steaming from. I have been there.


The funny thing is that even with all of the hullabaloo,the everyday living of marriage still holds most of its rough days. Marriage is hard work. Even where the two people involved loved each other to death and all of the world and the catholic pope ratified their union..there would still be days where they'd hate each other with the same ferociousness. There'd still be days when his secretary will make his blood burn with lust. She might cheat on him, the children will make their days rough, finances will still be hard on some days. And everyone of the unions must still battle against the odds of a divorce when the heats gets too hard. So yes the cynical part of me acknowledges that it may all not be worth it, fighting the world for one person...or is it?

But then again, when we are in love,as we all we be, love is all we have. Love, Faith and Hope for the best. I believe everybody should be entitled to that-especially moreso when the person's usual reasoning can be trusted. Heck, even with all the parent's good intention, many of them only endured their marriages to the end.

Anyway,i adviced him to write and let it all out in a blog and hopefully his last words will be a happy ending...he'd propose to her and the whole world will laugh with him. He laughed it off and said he'd try. As for me..well some people go through shit and heal and become better for all of it. Me,i just never healed. I just became an inglorious unbelieving basterd. That's why i have another date on friday with Tz.

13 comments:

  1. Had to heave a sigh as I finished this, family and love are two powerful and conflicting issues. I hope things work out for your friend one way or the other.

    And you too TN. Hmmm...

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  2. A man's enemies will be the members of his own household...so true. I like the way MFM puts it "HOUSEHOLD ENEMIES"!

    You will heal! If i could, then you can!

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  3. the part that really gets to me is the youre a child statement. it amazes me how quickly "adults" use this phrase when they have no concrete explanations/reasons.

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  4. I just hope I don't get a call at 1am on Friday!!!

    Even though I hate admitting this, I get some inspiration from this blog!

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  5. They say time would heal the wounds life has alloted us. In my story i have found that's one of the best selling fables the world has to offer. Time never healed them neither did distance. But funny enough we hear of the Healer but the story he offers is 'too good to be true' or rather 'mundane' for others. So often than ever we continue our vacation in our misery than surrender to our cure.
    We can heal. Time and distance cover up wounds. Jesus heals wounds :D

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  6. Wow.

    It's ovbious you're still hurting. Badly.

    Like The King's Son said: time dosent heal all wounds, but Jesus does. I think you should consider talking about how you feel over with someone who understands.

    I hope you find the peace you need

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  7. I want to say you'll heal and move on but them i'm wondering if I believe it enough to preach it. Some of us are stuck in webs made out of barb wire, for others its just twine and can be easily cut asunder

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  8. It may take a while but the healing will come. Just trust God...

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  9. Time nor distance ever heals the wound, we just learn to live and accept the scars of the wound.

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  10. Don't worry- you WILL heal, time is much more effective than space. Good luck to you and your friend. It's a miracle when families come together and all is peachy *sigh*

    Adiya
    Muse Origins Features
    Muse Origins

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  11. Sigh. i cant even tell where your story began and where your friend's ended. Everything is somewhat melded. you're still in pain.
    Just going to use the time honored cliche, it will get better! believe.

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  12. awww see who has a broken heart...*sniff sniff* but seriously what finally happened? wats d story and i cant seem to find tz gist...my eyes r burning from reading ur blogs non stop

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