Every day a blessing
Every day from
Tuesday the 22nd of September 2009 has been a blessing for it was
the day I was admitted to hospital presenting aggressive cancer as a result of complications
of HIV/AIDS for which the prognosis was probably only 5 weeks to live if I
could not tolerate the regimen of medication and chemotherapy that was required
to give me a chance of living.
Then again, each day
from Tuesday the 21st of December 1965 has heralded blessings
innumerable even on days I would never hope to relive but each and every one of
them has passed into history to become a story, a testimony, a reflection of
gratitude for the grace and mercies that have filled my life with wonder even
if in the telling it rarely gets a feeling of awe. I was born at just over 26
weeks and here we are.
Thankful for the year
2020 has been a year of
strangeness and difference, days became months of uncertainty but buoyed by
hope and a sense that Psalm 23 revealed anew to me than it was a passing
through a valley of the shadow of death from exhausted green pastures and stale
still waters to fresh green pastures and refreshing still waters, we press on
forward speaking of goodness and mercy that follows all the days of our lives. See the links below.
Blog - The
changing texts of religious meditation
Blog - Psalm
23 comes alive with new insight
Writing today of my
55th birthday fills me with such joy and happiness, celebrating it
with my lover and partner, Brian means everything to me. Yet, in everything,
through sometimes strained communication and relationships, my parents have
been beacons of amazing support, my many siblings give me a sense of family
weighty at times and honourable in everything.
Grateful for life and
living
Then my friends, Kola
who I have known since time began, there are many trials I would never have
seen through without his friendship, Funmi who I have missed for over a year
since before the pandemic began, a confidante, and more. Patrick who especially
in this year was available in every way to nurse me back to health early this
year, fight my cause in the tardy response of the NHS, he became my neighbour
and family for these strange times.
Beyond the named friends, many who have contributed in no small measure to giving me a sense of fulfilment and have contributed to the sense of gratitude that makes this day so special. Let us celebrate life even in the midst of a pandemic and most of all cherish every moment we have been given for the possible opportunity of telling a better story. Thank you for celebrating with me, the joy of living.
1 comment:
Dear Akin,
Not just because I saw your birthday popping up today, but I recently was thinking back about the Schiphol-Rijk days, how next year it will already be 20 years ago since passing by there. I am happy to read you are still in such good spirit, in good health, and that you are in a fulfilling relationship. From the sound of it, you kept yourself away from getting infected this year as well. If travel would allow you to come back to the continent, be it Belgium or France (we have a secondary residence there amidst the Cognac vineyards), it would be my pleasure to meet up with you again, after presenting a negative test obviously :-) Enjoy your birthday!
Peter
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