On this particular day, we were to prepare that delicacy, but Mum wasn’t around. In our heads, it felt simple, after all, we had watched her do it countless times, how hard could it be?
We gathered everything like little experts. The cassava was grated, the mixture carefully wrapped in fresh plantain leaves, tied with hope and a bit of pride. We even laughed, already imagining how impressed Mum would be.
Then came the fire.
We lit it, but not with patience, just enough to say there is fire. The flames danced briefly, weak and unsure, nothing like the steady, hungry heat Mum always kept alive. Still, we convinced ourselves it was enough. After all, the wraps looked fine on the outside, sitting pretty and firm in their leafy coats.
it's not so hot, so it's done, we said too quickly.
We took it down, unwrapped it, and served ourselves like champions of the kitchen. The first bite didn’t shout danger it whispered confusion. It tasted… off, heavy and unfinished. But we ignored it, swallowing both the food and our doubts.
Not long after, our stomachs began to protest.
Lo and behold, what we thought was a meal turned into a lesson. One by one, we ran with regret chasing us faster than we could manage. The house that once smelled of effort now echoed with discomfort. That was the moment we understood: the fire didn’t last, and neither did our confidence.
Mum returned later, and with one look, she knew. She didn’t scold immediately, she simply said, “Some things need time, and some things need the right kind of fire.”
That day stayed with me, because life is not so different. Some processes cannot be rushed, some things may look fine on the outside, neatly wrapped and presentable, but inside, they are still raw. Not every effort is enough effort, not every spark is a sustaining flame.
And sometimes what once felt intense, exciting, and full of promise slowly loses its heat and it will be not so hot
The same way our meal looked ready but wasn’t, some things in life lose their depth when the fire isn’t maintained, relationships, passions, dreams. At the beginning, everything burns bright. The energy is there, the excitement is loud but without patience, without consistency, without the right kind of effort, the heat fades.
So when you feel something becoming not so hot now, don’t ignore it like we ignored that first strange bite. Check your fire, add what is missing. Or be honest enough to admit, this doesn't apply to the physical fire alone, it's applicable to life
some things didn’t fail because they weren’t good, they failed because the fire didn’t last
