I was invited to the Old Girls get-together in my hometown. The get-together is usually held at the end of every 5 years, but for about twenty years after my secondary school education, I had never been to the meeting of Ikwuano Girls Secondary. However, last year in December, I was there. I had come from Europe for my grandmother's burial.
As I was on my way to my hometown, I was reflecting on so many events and issues that might have taken place in the past twenty years, particularly the economic, marital, and social status of some of my old school friends before I left for Europe. What was going on in my mind were the changes that might have taken place during the period I was not around. I knew quite well that some of my peers would be successful while others would still be struggling with life.
On the very day I visited the get-together of my old friends, I saw Nkiru, my childhood friend and classmate, coming to the gathering in a wheelchair. Nkiru was very athletic during our secondary school years, but after five years of finishing secondary school, she had a spinal cord injury. The sight and the story of Nkiru's spinal cord injury shattered my composure. That day, as I left the get-together, I reflected on life and nothing else. My thoughts wandered back to my secondary school days, especially the conversations I had with my old friends. During those conversations, I remembered that most of them had dreams of becoming successful in various fields of endeavor.
After twenty years, some of them had their dreams shattered due to life's circumstances. I was worried about how mercilessly life can treat human beings. Moreover, at the get-together, I saw some of my old friends who had achieved their dreams. As I reflected on our secondary school days, I vividly remembered Johnson, Lucky, and Faith, who came from poor backgrounds, barely ate three square meals daily, and were assisted by some students to pay their school fees. Some of these old friends had fulfilled their dreams. The worst-case scenario was those who had passed away.
When I came back from the get-together, sleep eluded me that night as I reminisced about the disturbing stories I had heard, as if I was watching a movie. Although some were impressive, I then shifted my thoughts to the memories of my grandmother as I reflected on the past. I wished I had come home to celebrate her 70th birthday instead of attending her funeral ceremony.