By Ify Uche
During the last Christmas, almost everybody who saw me said that I gained weight. It was easily recognizable because in the past 10- 15 years, I maintained a certain weight range because I like it sleek while keeping the figure intact.
Meanwhile, majority of the people were quite impressed with the additional flesh as many of them told me that I looked good. How? Well, few gave me a yellow card. My fashion sense does not necessarily accommodate being on the big side except for the few relevant spots. The increase in physical size is one I embraced with gratitude (though l am working to reverse it) because when I look in the mirror, I see a girl who is alive.
What folks don’t know is that the weight gain is a testimonial of God’s abiding love which He demonstrated towards me last year June. On a certain day in June, I woke up with joy and typically dressed in a simple outfit that accentuated my figure and elegance. I was extra intentional about that day because I attended an event that represented a symbolic milestone in my professional advancement.
Whilst I planned for just a memorable experience, I moved from the event to the hospital in a critical state. I mean, wasn’t the day memorable? Of course, it was- the reason it makes it to my facebook page this early morning.
The day handed me an additional experience that almost claimed my life!
At the event, I observed that I was slowly losing strength. By the end of the event, I was struggling to maintain steez.
So, l was rushed to the hospital. Ultimately, we found out that my BP was 63/35. Never happened before. I left the hospital at 11pm when I was supposed to be home at about 5-6pm sipping zobo in further celebration of my little win. The medical advice given to me landed me the much talked about robust flesh. The doctor: eat three times daily with orishirishi in-between meals. Take sprite, 7up, coke,… in an era when we are asked to shun carbonated drinks. Umunne m na umunna m (brothers and sisters) “on facebook,” that was how from July to December, I won “the most improved female” award. Sometimes, what is seen may not be all there is. It might be a reflection of something much deeper with eternal significance.
The smile may not just be ordinary. The trimmed body may not be because there isn’t enough food or simply because i-fitness is in town. It may be the reminder that one would have been dining with Paul, the talkative and Timothy, his prodigy.The big size may not be because he wants to keep his father’s legacy of pot belly. The eyes will see that which is within its visual capacity, but the spirit properly situates experiences with their deposits. So, as the spirit with the experience, people may not understand the “Why” of your disposition, size, height, smile, praise, unequal legs, tiny nose, service to others, commitment to God. They may or may not like the scar, deposit, or manifestation.
But, you understand. Keep your gaze where it belongs- the substance, the testimony.