Nwa Beef


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If there's one person I will never stop writing about, it is mother.

Especially for the fact that I see myself becoming more like her everyday. 

Mother said the strangest and funniest things. Today I called someone "nwa beef" and in my quiet moment I thought of what I had said and found that the phrase "nwa beef" has absolutely no meaning.

That was one of mother's favourite insults. Nwa means child so "nwa beef" translates to "child of beef" which ironically means nothing. 

It was one of those things she said to someone who upset her which usually made the offender burst into laughter. 

Whenever I decide to damn every consequence and eat whatever I want to eat, I know its mother's gene in me acting. Not me!

When I really get involved in church, its definitely mother.

I laugh hysterically most of the time and when I do I feel I can hear mother laughing too. She loved to laugh.

I'm sometimes scared of how much I'm becoming like her in a lot of things, scared because I do not want to take the not so good traits too.

Never a dull moment, mother created activities for herself and everyone around her. I'm just like that.

For a long time, I longed for  some qualities in mother which I think have come now with age. She was a friend to all and never let betrayal from close associates get to her. She was never bothered and wished everyone well.

These days I find myself so unmoved about people. It actually takes maturity to get to a point in life where you have an exit door in your heart through which you kick frenemies out.

I recently told someone that I was shy and she found it very hard to believe.

"Shy people do not dance the way that you do" was her response. Mother was a very good dancer and no one can convince me that she's not the one who moves my hips rhythmically to different musical sounds. 

When you see me dance like I do not have a care in the world, I just might be possessed by mum's spirit.

Growing up we all hated to wait in her Peugeot 504 after Mass while she greeted everyone even the beggars that sat by the gates of the Church. We were always the last to drive out of the Church premises. 

I do that so much now that hubby and the boys love it when we go to Mass separately. Then they know that they can go home in peace without having to go through the torture of waiting for me to greet everyone that came my way.

I love to entertain people, it gives me joy to watch people eat, drink and be happy. That was mother and she always said that we should never ask people if they wanted to eat. Just serve the food! I struggle here, I ask sometimes, when I'm lazy to cook or serve. 

I got a lot of positive traits from mother, however, there are two negatives that I do not like at all; mother gave up on her weight goals, I see me going there. Chukwu aju! O lo m' aje! God forbid!

The second is her bluntness, I recall holding my breath whenever she was reprimanding someone because it would definitely be a "no holds barred" experience.

Her Sarcasm was second to none.  Those are the ones that I do not want.. 


6 Comments

  1. She was a beautiful, wonderful woman with a large heart! May her soul continue to rest in peace

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  2. i kinda liken your mum to my late mum too Lilea because your late mama reminds me of mine as well. Both of them had very similar positive traits. Traits that i pray to possess and working on myself to exhibit more often. So if you find yourself exhibiting some of it, Oh be happy because it means that our mothers have sure left good legacies to emulate and make impact on others..

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  3. Your mother must be smiling in you from heaven

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  4. Your mum dropped the most interesting traits in you, may she continue to be blessed eternally. You have an enviable PR. You worth all the accolade.

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  5. Like mother like daughter. Whatever the snakes breeds must be long. However, as for the negative traits, it is left for you to reject them both with Divine and prayers.

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  6. Mother like no other we surely miss you

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