During the month of May, my cousin passed away unexpectedly. We all had strong faith that she would overcome that illness she was struggling with, and money was spent on her medications, but she still passed away. Even to this day, when I think about everything that happened, her death still seems surreal to me, but one thing is for sure: we will never forget her.
My dearest Cousin Blessing,
As I take a moment to write this letter I feel overwhelmed, with emotions that have been quietly lingering since the day you unexpectedly left this world. The emptiness left behind by your absence is deep. The pain of missing you continues. There are things left unsaid and moments left unshared. I find comfort in the hope that these words might somehow reach you in the realms beyond.
Edited on Canva
First and foremost, I want you to know how deeply you are missed Although we didn't spend time together as adults since you relocated with your mom and siblings to the village. I miss our conversations and the way we used to laugh and joke. I wish you were still here and that we could spend more time together.
Since you are no longer here, it makes me feel sad. Around this time last year, I remember when we spoke on the telephone about you and your sister leaving the village and coming to live with us in Lagos. Despite the fact that the money wasn't available at the time to transport you and your sister here, we continued to hope the money would eventually come and we could reunite.
At first, I was shocked and heartbroken when I learned about your illness, and I wondered why you suddenly developed a kidney failure. The doctor explained that it was due to a damaged kidney, and hearing that happen to my close family members was shocking to me. As much as I watch people suffer from those kinds of illnesses on TV, I never imagined my dearest cousin would suffer from such a condition.
As we have felt before and after your death, we feel the illness and your death weren't natural, and if spirits do exist, as I watch in movies, then it won't be bad if your spirit finds and takes revenge on those who are responsible for your untimely and unexpected death. We believe that the spirit of a person who has been wronged has the right to seek justice and take revenge against the people who have caused their suffering. We believe that this is a natural process and that the spirit should be allowed to avenge its wrongs.
I want you to know that the absence of shared memories doesn't diminish the impact you had on my life. Even though we didn't spend as much time together as I wish we had, the connection we shared as family runs deep. Your presence, no matter how brief, left an indelible mark on my heart.
As I pen these words, I hope they find their way to you in the realms beyond, carrying the love that remains unspoken but not unfelt. May you find eternal peace, and may the regret in my heart transform into a celebration of the moments we did share.
Though our time was cut short, I hope you've found peace in a place where regrets fade away, and only love remains.
With love that transcends time and space,
Jessica.