As humans there is always this fear embedded within us that makes us feel and think that we can’t live without those things we are scared to lose. Most times when we think about it, we tend to distract ourselves from the thought of losing something we value so much. It could be attachment to a person or material possession.
Life will always teach you detachment in one of the hardest ways possible, because enormous attachment towards something makes you subject your happiness to a person or a thing. Some people get too attached to their pets, while some place that attachment on a family member or friend. When growing up I paced mine on my childhood best friend, her name is Cynthia. Cynthia was my childhood best when I was five years old. I stayed with my grandma when I was five and she stayed with her grandparents. Our grandparents were friends and that made us feel we had a connection and had something in common.
I was a stubborn, playful child while growing up, I never liked sitting my ass down. You will always find me among other peers playing and getting myself dirty in the sand. Cynthia lived close to us, I could literally jump the fence and land on Cynthia’s compound. The moment I hear my name and I come out of my room, I will see Cynthia’s head peeping through the window, calling me to come out side my gate so we can play. I always loved that feeling this always made me excited whenever am on my way back from school. I always look forward to having a play date with Cynthia.
I got so used to Cynthia that we planned our lives together. We promised each other we were going to go to the same high school, college and probably get married. Childhood mentality of wanting to grow older so fast because we felt that adulthood was filled with a lot of freedom and money. I couldn’t imagine my life story without Cynthia in it, I got everything planned out in my head. Our grandparents were calling each other in laws because they joked around about we getting married since we loved each other’s company.
One day I came back from school, and as usual, I was expecting to see Cynthia’s head peep above the fence and call my name. But she wasn’t there, that’s new, I felt so sad because my daily routine had ruined. My greatest fear at that age was not seeing Cynthia again because her parents had come pick her up from her grandparent’s. I felt that if this happened, then Cynthia will have to be far away from me, this means that in 25 years time, Cynthia will forget about me and probably get married to another person.
The feeling was so unpleasant I walked up to my grandma and asked her about Cynthia, she told me Cynthia had traveled. Her parents came to pick her up and they are planning to relocate to London. Wow!!! London? That’s very far, what will happen to the dream and hopes we both had together, I asked. She laughed at my childish mentality.
More than 15 years later, I decided to search for Cynthia’s Facebook page. Thanks to Facebook, most people prefer to use their full name, making it way easier to find old friends. I had forgotten Cynthia’s surname, so I called one of my uncles and asked him what Cynthia’s family name was. He told me and I searched for it, turns out Cynthia is a successful doctor in Houston now. She looked so happy in her photos, she had lots of amazing pictures with her current boyfriend who she has been with for the past 6 years.
I felt so good and happy seeing that Cynthia looked happy on her Facebook page, I was so glad to see that she is living the life we both wanted to live but with someone else. I wished it was me there by her side, but am more glad that Cynthia is happy.