BEADS, A NATURAL BEAUTY

BEADS, A NATURAL BEAUTY

A lover of beads is one of the few things I could be described as. Whereas some would say bracelets or necklaces made with metals (with some being personalized) is the "ish", I also say beads make me feel like a rockstar. Should our paths cross, you would realize this truth. Meet me on my way to church and you'd see different beads (hardly one in number)in it's beautiful colours on my wrist and around my neck.
Sometimes, I wonder how I came to love beads and hardly wanting to step out without at least one being on my wrist. Get for me a gift of anything bead-like or a purely African made bead and I will be indebted to you as compared to the metal stuff.
Once when I found myself in a town where beads were like an everyday routine some people made as a handiwork, I just couldn't help but just stare. I lost track of time due to how beautiful I found the art with the blend of the bed colours till someone tapped me on the shoulder. "Young lady, I've been watching you from a distance and you've not moved from where you've been standing. Is everything alright?" That came from an old woman and I just couldn't help but feel a mixture of shyness and joy. Grandma, it's nothing really but I just love beads and having chanced on how it's being done has made me glued to my spot. Come with me, she said and we started walking with her doing much of the talking.
Beads have been in existence thousands of years and they are locally produced by indigenous people of the African continent and trade beads that have travelled from other parts of the world. Some beads are arts which is a family tradition where tools and techniques are passed on from one generation to the other. Being a handmade art, it is labour intensive but it is rewarding as it comes in different varieties of beauty.

Beads are made from different things which includes stones, clay, plant materials like palm nuts and bamboo stems, animal materials such as bones and marine shells and amazingly currently with glass.

Beads in our part of the world are worn at ceremonies such as coming of age, circumcision, marriage, burial and local festivities. But on any normal day, you will find for yourself people who have some on their wrists or necks.

Beads I interestingly found out had meanings and they ranged from pride, beauty, culture and power.
As if by coincidence, we chanced on a ceremony in the town. As observing as I am, I noticed beads almost everywhere. But I realized some were very different from others. Some came in big forms and was worn by a man I thought for myself as being really important. I asked the woman how come my beads are smaller as compared to his. She then told me there are beads means for both sexes; the males have theirs bigger and females a bit smaller.
She continued to say beads worn have different meanings. Should an ignorant person wear just any bead, someone who has knowledge about it will find it out of place. Before we could part ways, she realized aside the beads I had on, there was a particular one I wore alone on my wrist. She asked why and I said that was a gift from my mum. Interesting, she said and then tasked me to take very good care of it because unlike the others, this particular one is an ancient but really good bead which is very scarce to find currently. I couldn't feel anymore happy because I was just basking in my mum's praise.

Come what the meaning may be, I would always prefer a blend of it all because what I would love to always portray is the beauty of beads.

A MOTHER'S LOVE, IRREPLACEABLE

A MOTHER'S LOVE, IRREPLACEABLE.

"My dear, my child, please, don't go, come back, he's your father and just wants what's best for you, don't walk out on me". These are words I unknowingly eavesdropped when I happened to pass behind someone's window one evening. These words, I thought to myself are filled with a mixture of pain and love. Words which doesn't come out of just anyone's mouth. Words spoken by a female and I thought, if not a mother, who else would speak such words.

Growing up, I was and I still am a witness to several homes where parents exist and each has a way of bringing up their children. Should there be the absence of one parent, the other takes it upon him or herself to see to it that the children hardly lack anything.

In the course of bringing up a child, since one is never perfect, mistakes are sure to be made but in it all, it is just for the good of the children.
Everyone on earth has a woman in his or her life. Not just any woman but one woman who inspite of everything, will just want to see her children smile. Should there be instances where one feels ill-treated , the mere fact of having carried you for nine solid months and seen to it that you come on earth in one piece is enough proof that someone has more than just "mouth-love" for you.

There are instances where in a family, a particular child brings much headache but even amidst all these, a mother decides to show much love. Not to spoil the child more as some might say,but to try correcting the child with love.

Being privy to a happening of a couple, I choose to share their story.
Married at a young age, both man and woman found it difficult to make ends meet but with hope that everything will be fine, they stuck together. Then came instances where their first two children were taken ill. Sickness hardly known to anyone and they had to resort to going to different hospitals and prayer camps. Much resources were lost, fights came as a result of frustration but the mother stood firm saying " it will all end good" . Life still goes on and things begin to turn well, the children became well and they were even added on with two other siblings. Amidst all these, the mother will just do anything to see that her children are comfortable and this she did inspite of all hardships that were encountered and she still is encountering them. Prayer is what she resorts to and bit by bit she still holds in to "it will all end good".

I chanced on a video which talks of several things mothers will do just to see that their children don't suffer same fate as theirs. Things people will normally not do is what they find themselves doing all to see their children feel comfortable.  Should there be instances where an issue comes up, some fathers out of frustration might give up on the children but it is never so with mothers. The hustle and tussle of pregnancy alone is enough to always give a standing novation to mothers but that alone, is even an  infinitesimal display as to what they go through afterwards.

One could go on and on about what a mother will do but it just is unending. Words are never enough to express a mother's love. Some might have lost their mothers but memories alone are good enough to hold on to. Never for once think a mother is comfortable to see her children suffer. Some may act strong-willed in the presence of their children but accidentally budge into their rooms or sneak in on them and you'd realize they are always lost in thoughts just on how to provide much more for their children. A mother's love is and will always be irreplaceable, never for once think vile about a mother. Should there be instances where out of anger or frustration something painful has been uttered, words spoken are hardly retrieved but an apology and a genuine changeover is good enough to get back into a mother's good braces.
To all mothers, a grenade can't be caught for you, planes cannot just be jumped off for you but in subtle ways, you will be forever cherished.