Blossom it was, my youthful days when everything seemed so great, new and appealing.
As a you girl with lots to cover with my camera, I dreamt of many places where other photographers went and got thousands of photos, accepted with well enlarged arms at the gallery for sale.
Back then, my parents were not financially capable to purchase a good camera for me. I lived on borrowing which was more demanding of my begging behavior.
I did all that was possible to get away from the poverty margin drawn above my parents' standard of living, but what continually drew me back was like nemesis of my family.
When I got to the college level, my parents gave me some money to pay my fees earlier than many and two months before the deadline.
For me, it was an opportunity to take my first risk which was *"to use the money for a good camera, cover many events so as to replace the money given to me before they noticed of anything wrong with my payment of school fees.
I proudly took the most expensive risk of my life by buying the camera, travelled with friends to cover the proposed events, that was among the best period of my days as a youth.
Within a space of two weeks, I was able to recover all that I invested in the camera. I quickly paid my school fees, settled some of my bills and moved on with my photography business.
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The semester's holiday was around the corner and my parents demanded that I must come back home to assist them in their farm work.
At first, I insisted and resisted their request, stayed in the city and grew my knowledge in photography during the holidays.
During the holidays, I sent some good amounts of money to them which I believe covered my assistance at home.
I resumed for the next semester, hustled my way up and became among the best photographers in the university.
The school organized a photo contest for creative and non-creative person and I was among the best.
During the event, I got many contacts of Chief Executive Officers and proprietors of many photo studios who requested that I should be spending time in their studios on weekends since I was in my final year, that was the beginning of my blossom days.
On one blessed Saturday morning, I got a call from an unknown number who decided to show me the world by inviting me to pay the governor a surprise visit with one of my photos which I took during the photo contest.
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I immediately redesigned the photo since I've got some money from the event, used a royalty kind of frame for the portrait photo.
I went to the government house with my invitation number, waited outside for hours at the wrong entrance.
After about 4 hours of waiting for my inviter, he showed up from another entrance which he told the security men to alert him whenever I enter the premises.
Though I was so hungry and tired, I embraced myself with a song of victory, cheered my weak flash with heavy expectations and wishes, not knowing that my appointed time has come.
I presented my photo before the governor as I was oriented by Mr Barry-White.
The discussion was far away from what I hoped for.
Yeah, I hoped for four million naira and an appointment in the office, but God proved himself to be great and ever rewarding.
Guess what?!
I was made the chief press media secretary of the entire state, just because I shot "a very good picture" according to the governor.
From that day henceforth, my life changed course to a better path other than snapping pictures and getting paid in peanuts by my fellow students.
Yeah, I don't despise my little beginning because that was the basement of who I am today.
I believed in hardwork and creativity which have definitely paid out.
I took the risk of not joining others enjoy the holidays, starved myself in order to buy a good camera and now, I pay fees and buy good stuffs for many.
My blossom days are here to stay forever.
Everything great requires every great sacrifices
This is my short story for @inkwell weekly short story contest.
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Thanks for reading my story.