Day 5 - Honor Your Father and Your Mother

For My Mother, Enomacara,

Your upbringing was shaped by the Biafran War, a period unfamiliar to many in Western societies. It was a time characterized by the absence of loyalty. I remember your frequent recounts of the lasting impact of the traumatic experiences you endured.

I could see the vividness in your eyes. Attempting to recount how your father formed alliances with various factions, emphasizing the complex dynamics that existed during that tumultuous era.

I understand the depth of your pride.

Your father, the esteemed Chief of the Estate, possessed remarkable skills in maneuvering through both internal and external forces.

However, everything changed on that fateful late night when your peaceful slumber was abruptly disrupted. Your brother had been captured, trapped in the dangerous crossfire of supposed enemy lines. In Baba’s protective embrace, you fled together, seeking refuge in the jungle for days on end, consumed by worry for your brother's safety and the uncertainty of life amidst the crossfires. Your father was your source of solace, a beacon of hope in the village, and you relied on his strength and guidance in those challenging times.

Those days had a profound impact on you, and the trauma you experienced left a lasting mark. You wear the scars everywhere you go—even against me. That moment, and many like it changed your perspective of men, shifting the focus from living to mere survival. From that point onward, every decision and action revolved around ensuring your survival rather than embracing life fully.

May you reach a point where you no longer tolerate the slow pace of progress.

May you come to realize that everything you seek and require is already within you.

And may you seize the opportunity to attain it, starting today.

Eto keet Isikabake akai,

(A tree cannot make a forest)

ImeObong Okung

Reflection:

For some, the idea of honoring their parents is difficult perhaps because of a neglected or even abusive childhood. For others, it is easy to give thanks and praise to the individuals who brought them life. Reflecting on today, how can we become the examples we hope to carry into the next generation regardless of our own experience?

Practice:

1. Write a letter to your parents, dead or alive.