I Come From...

I come from power rangers and sweaty shirts from running with the boys
I come from sunday school and ill fitting dresses
I come from the black and white house in Laterbiokorshie and chicken coops
I come from a crush on the Pastors son and quick hellos to the plantain seller
I come from long hours in the salon, burning my hair and watching Esmeralda
I come from uncompleted buildings and long goodbyes at Kotoka
I come from the smell of grandmas chicken stew and remoteless tv
I come from stealing milo cubes and jumping on ant hills
I come from red clothes from the North K sand
I come from uncompleted school buildings and screaming from merry go rounds
I come from teachers chewing garlic in class and fights with the Liberian girl
I come from big bums and skinny boys with six packs
I come from runs up McCarthy Hill and stunning views
I come from light off and empty Kuffour gallons
I come from missed flights for our day and garlic bread down the toilet
I come from fighting in school and running the CU
I come from thigh length dresses to Lighthouse
I come from broken bottles and broken hearts
I come from grandma's bentua to a drug dealing doctor
I come from flipping burgers and drinking champagne
I come from power rangers and a sweaty shirt from running with the boys

The Power Ranger Complex

Sunday School is over, I'm 6 years old and I'm Pink Ranger - Israel, Padi, Kweku and I are saving the world from big scary 'monsters'. The Mighty Morphing Power Rangers! 

That's my fondest early memory, smells like sun, sweat and home. The same smell that hits me everytime I step out of the plane at Kotoka; 'Akwaaba'. 

Present time - Mid coversation at Tottenham Court Road, I hear; 'The journey is more rewarding than the destination'. Interesting I think, let me marinate on this. Sometimes I find myself in such a hurry that I don't appreciate all the craziness, heartbreaks, dissapointments, sweat, fear, laughter, insanity, love and confusion that comes with life. Too busy chasing paper and digits on the bank statement, too busy to take it all in. I'll be 25 this year, and I've decided to really live. To make memories and tell stories, and if things are not going my way, i'll just stop and yell 'Plot Twist' and move on. 

So, PLOT TWIST! 2016 give me the best you've got, go go Power Ranger! 

Friendship

Some people come into your life for a season, some come to stay. I want to take you on a journey of a friendship I thought was just for a season... Silly me

11 years old. I hate rides, I hate anything that spins you around. I hate merry go rounds. So I scream, I scream his name - He runs down the path towards my tortured screams. Panting he stops, they stop spinning me.

Fast forward 7 years - Summer; July 2010. Accra, Taxi, his head in my lap, our fingers linked... Summer never felt so  good.

Fast forward - October 2010, 'so you dance with other girls when you go out? Are you serious?' Hang up.

November 30th 2010 - 'I'm at a friends place, I'll call you later... I love you'.

50mins later *text message*
'Hephzibah i cant do this anymore*

I HATE YOU [insert expletive]!!

Summer, July 2011 'I cant believe you came to Ghana and didn't even tell me *hes crying*'

'But we haven't spoken for 8 months'

'You dierr its OK, it doesn't matter' *Hangs up*

Somehow we manage to piece together our friendship. This involved a number of apologies and Skype conversations at stupid o'clock. Forming a bond that can never be broken... My best friend

12years... I've had some of my worst days and best days with him. These past few months have been the worst. But one thing he's made me realise though, when your life is a mess, God will show up in the most beautiful way with message.

I'm so proud of the man you've become and I'm so proud of how you treat her. The maturity I've seen, na God oo.

Osei Kwadwo promise me you will never leave...

Oh and I've just decided that on my wedding day, you'll be my 'brides-man' (yes that's a thing, don't laugh) and give a speech - so start preparing.

To Jess, Ceci, Ofoli Kwei and Stella... You guys... Just you guys!!

EVERYTHING!

Love is a class 'A' drug

This is dedicated to a friend, a bother... A kindred spirit. I am rooting for you. xx

Love is beautiful, even more so when its reciprocated.
Love will have you thinking your first is your last,
And your last is your first.
Love brings secret handshakes and early morning waakye dates.
Love is the tiredness you feel in the morning, 
Because you stayed up all night talking
But you will gladly do it again, because...
Love makes all the 'gangster' in you disappear
Like a drug it takes you so high
It knocks the wind out of you
Like gravity has nothing on you
You show the ugly parts of you that are otherwise hidden


Then love leaves
And forces you back to earth
Crashing, breaking, running
Then you relapse
Then OD
Then you rebound, morphine.

*Theres no love greater than the love of God*

Romans 8:38 & 39*

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love

3 pieces on 'Love' through my eyes

A Mothers Love
(7.03.14)

On a train this morning, I met a family I will never forget.
A mother with two toddlers and a newborn baby strapped to her chest
Carrying two scooters and a heavy looking bag
Containing what I imagine was 'supplies' for the newborn baby.
The toddlers (boys) sat on one seat
While mummy and baby sat in the other
Her boys proceeded to ask her questions (very loudly) about the underground travel system
She looked EXHAUSTED!
But never once did her smile falter
She looked at her boys in awe
Stroking their hair while answering their sometimes difficult questions
'Who built the underground?', 'So are we really under the ground mummy?' 'Why are there so many people on the train?' 'What do the different colours on the map mean?'
With the kind of patience and tenderness only a mother of three can muster.

Human

I no longer put him on a pedestal
He's no longer my prince charming
I'm not a damsel in distress
My love no longer belongs in a fairytale
His wrongs and my wrongs fluttered like kisses
And woke me up
But one thing will never change
I adore him
With him I'll experience lasts
I now see his humanity
With imperfections that make him perfect
I'm no longer falling in love, I'm walking in it
I adore him.

The girl with blue hair

Shes the love of my life
Her words of wisdom are a compass
Slightly awkward
A little shy
Hips that sashay as if to music
Nails always filed and painted
Brown eyes
Dark chocolate
Strong
Both in will and in opinion
She's got my back
Even when we both know I'm wrong
And I'm fiercely protective
A lioness
The girl with blue hair
She's the love of my life.

'So I love you, because the universe conspired to help me find you' - The Alchemist | Paulo Coelho

Green Eyes

Wake up
Hopelessly wishing there was an extra day between Saturday and Sunday
Monday Blues
Londoners and the apparent inability to say 'sorry' after budging or scuffing your cool new boots
Miraculously finding a seat on the 8:17 train
Turning to the back of the Metro for the Sudoku
Clapham North
Green eyes sits next to me
Turning to the back of the Metro for the Sudoku
Getting strangely competitive
Green eyes opens full lips and utters the most beautiful words
'You are really good'
French Accent
Pupils dilate
Sudoku wars ensues
I finish first
… 'Are you Ghanaian? I can tell by your nose'
Damn you nose gods!
'I'm from Ivory Coast, I'm here for a photo-shoot... and to meet the man who calls himself my father'
Light even skin tone, symmetry and striking cheek bones haven't gone to waste
A model with daddy issues
Goodge Street
Free coffee
'Skinny Caramel Latte please'
Takes out his phone
Uh Oh!
Turning green eyes down
'Err… I have a 'complicated' situation'
Sad green eyes
Awkward shuffling of feet
If you ever come to Ivory Coast… This is my number.
Kiss on the cheek
Ticklish stubble
Damn!

*Will be posting more strange and beautiful encounters during my train journeys*

Twitter: @hephzisblessed

Blank Stares, Numb Hearts

I try, maybe a bit too much.

I make you my priority, but all you do is look through me.

I'm the last on your to-do list, so important dates are missed.

Fleeting moments, empty kisses

You dont see me, I don't see you.

Connected through words, empty promises

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, mine is just growing numb-er.



Disclaimer: This does not reflect my current state of mind or feelings... but it did.