In school we were taught to write letters, formal and informal. I don't think we covered open letters though. It was fun seeing my classmates put what they learnt into practice as they wrote love letters to each other in class. I even helped to deliver one.
I want to begin a series of letter to Junior. Junior is not a real person, at least not physically. Junior is a product of my imagination and I call him junior not because he bears my own name, but because Junior is my protege. The very person I intend to replicate myself in.
Ok, that is not entirely true. I do not wish to replicate myself in anyone. Each individual is distinct, separate and an entity on his own. And one of my principles is to respect that individuality and where necessary, accentuate it. So Junior is not a smaller version of me.
Although I do not intend to replicate myself in Junior, I do intend to replicate some qualities that I currently possess in him. Qualities that are beneficial to anyone and everyone. I do not boast to be perfect, neither do I think perfection is possible to attain as long as I am in this body, but I am certain that growth and improvement is a steady possibility that can be a daily reality.
My goal with these series of letters is to do some introspection, some self searching so that I can attain a greater degree of self awareness. I would be talking about life, everything, from health, to finances, to relationships, life itself, and even death. I would talk about having a purpose in life, pursuing a goal or goals in life, what I have learnt and do intend to learn.
So what picture of Junior do I have in my head? Well, Junior is a 12yr old. Born the 1st of 3 children. His mother and father are currently having a separation. His father is the traditional man from Southern Nigeria who is bent on making his son have the experience of what it entails to grow up in Nigeria. Meanwhile Junior and his family currently live in the Bahamas with different customs and cultures.
Junior's father once looked at him and told him...
You are so stupid, I doubt you are mine.
Those words pierced through Junior's soul like cold darts in winter. He instantly became confused, he didn't know if he should cry or just walk away or say he was sorry for accidentally ruining his father's favorite shirt.
His eyes welling up with water now, he looked at his father's angry face, looked at himself, and glanced another look at his father who was now walking angrily out of the room.
Things even get worse on days when his father gets home drunk. Bahamas is a place where corporal punishment is still permitted. And that means that once in a while, Junior or his siblings were at the receiving end of a slap, or a cane...
Junior and his siblings keep looking for validation from their father that they never get. Junior does his best to please his father. He reads his ass off for his exams, comes out with exceptional results, but it doesn't seem to move his father. He is not impressed. Mr Gbenga always maintained that if you praise kids for their good actions, they are very likely to slack and mess up next time. So he would rather keep them hungry for commendation by not commending them at all.
One day, Junior's teacher called him and said,
You are an exceptional young man, your grades show that you are a very hardworking boy and I cant wait for what your future would bring.
Before his teacher could finish, a torrent of tears were already rolling down Junior's eye... He tried hard to conceal it, he tried to clean his face quickly, but the harder he tried, the more the tears came, until he was in hysterical sobs...
His teacher confused looked at the young boy weeping in his office and barely muttered..
what is wrong?
But Junior could not speak. He was overwhelmed in tears and extreme sadness. Mr Smith, who had taken some lessons in human development knew that he could not get Junior to talk that day. Junior needed to go home settle himself down and when he was ready to talk, he would.
The next day, during prep, Junior was called to Mr Smith's office alone where he opened up to him.
That was the first time I was hearing a commendation for my hard work. I just wished that my Dad saw it they way you do. I know that I work hard, I just wished my Dad would see it.
That is a picture of who Junior is. If there is any resemblance to someone you know, I assure you that it is totally coincidental. How did I get to know Junior? You'll find out in this series.
Ciao!
