2023 Memories

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As the year 2023 draws to a close, I'm spending reflective hours journaling and processing this momentous chapter I've lived through. Amidst a swirling global backdrop filled with collective uncertainty, my personal landscape held towering highs shadowed by devastating lows. At year's start, I pray simply for fortitude navigating each day's basic demands during turbulent times. I could not have predicted the monumental transformation 2023 would bring on intimate levels.

_{Designed on canva}

Now at January's door, there are three important memories that will stay seared into my spirit no matter what years may come. These were epic, trying, triumphant points etching my very identity; their reverberations will long outlast any passing news event with more fleeting impressions. As much as I celebrate crossing the threshold into a new year, I know moving forward hangs heavily contingent on integrating the potent lessons from all I endured over the past twelve months.

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Image of my cousin

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The Stinging Loss of Family

In May, agony rocked our family foundations with the abrupt decline of my dear cousin Blessing after battling undisclosed health issues. The shock of her hospitalization with late stage kidney failure gripped each of us with alarm after assuming she was recovering well. My vibrant, stylish cousin had always been the picture of energetic youth still in her late twenties. As treatment faltered and lucidity slipped from Blessing's grasp those excruciating final weeks, my own pillars of perceived control eroded alongside. Her passing just before summer's dawn left everyone keening, stoic uncles buckled with rare tears, my mom almost too stricken for words.
For months after, going through familiar motions felt foreign with fresh grief ambushing me at the most innocuous moments. We didn't know when the early symptoms came , it was late when we got to know about the kidney failure as they said it was in it final stage and as though paying proper respect could have altered her prognosis. At night my dreams recreated happier vignettes of all of us as giddy adolescent confidantes before life's currents separated us by distance. I still see my sister in small gestures of strangers, hear her lilting voice beckoning from a beloved song. Raw anguish may have scabbed over as all wounds must with time. But losing Blessing left a gash across my spirit I will carry far beyond 2023, even as cherished memories salve the mourning.

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My image

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A GOOD GRADE

I clearly remember the relief I felt when I found out I passed all my courses and would be moving to the next level as a yabatech student in 2023. After the struggles of the previous years with straying late into the session it was such an accomplishment to not have any lingering courses or carry over credits weighing me down.
As I checked my results that day and saw that I had passed the 8 courses I took with decent grades, I broke out into a big smile. The countless sleepless nights spent studying, the group projects, the exams I fretted over , it had all paid off. No summer classes or retakes for me! I could take a well-deserved break before starting the fall semester with a clean slate.
My friends and I celebrated that evening. We hit our favorite restaurant downtown and toasted our success over some tasty food and drinkd. The future seemed bright knowing I could focus my time and energy moving forward on new learning versus repeating old material. I felt proud, motivated and more confident in my abilities.

The no carry over achievement marked a major milestone in my yabatech journey. I proved to myself that I can handle the rigors of higher education. It was validation that I made the right choice to pursue this program and career path that aligns with my talents. That sense of pride and momentum propelled me forward into the next semester with optimism and drive to continue working hard. I will always look back fondly on celebrating that accomplishment with friends as we closed one chapter and eagerly awaited what came next.

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My image

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A FAULTY LAPTOP

I was happily typing away on my laptop one afternoon, working on an exciting new blog post I couldn't wait to publish. After saving my progress, I stepped away only to return to a black screen. My beloved laptop, which I had just purchased earlier that year, had died unexpectedly. No warning signs, no odd sounds , it just stopped working outright .I can't begin to describe the sinking feeling in my stomach. This device was my lifeline to the blogging world! It held all my ideas, outlines, drafts and edited posts. Without it, I had no easy way to write or connect with my dear readers.

No amount of wishing could undo the damage. The more I researched repair options, the more disheartened I became over the high price tags. As someone who is still trying to build her stand in the writing activities,my earning isn't so large yet, I simply didn't have the hundreds of dollars it would take to replace the screen. So my once-trusty laptop has remained tucked away gathering dust these last few months. Without being able to see properly or afford the repairs
I'm still dreaming of the day I can get my beloved laptop fixed. In the meantime, I've had to reluctantly embrace using my phone to write , though it isn't easy , as I can fully get all the features I need from it. But I remain hopeful that 2024 brings better financial fortune and a visible laptop screen once more.

_{This is my entry to the Hive Ghana Prompt}