MY DEAR WIFE

Over the last few years I have observed with pleasure my mum and dad grow beautifully together. I have seen them have marital squabbles severally and yet got over it easily (I’m not sure how they do it)

As I sit at my desk in the study of my one room self contain, illuminated by a single white electric bulb holding on firmly to its holder in the center of the ply wood ceiling, with my mind running fast and wide, I thought of how far my parents had come in marriage.  I want to also go further, so I decided to write a letter to my future wife. Here it goes:

                                                 

My Dear Wife,

This year has really been a tough one for me but thinking about you gives me so much joy to put in writing these words to you. I know it sounds crazy really to do this but wherever you are and whoever you are, know this; I’m looking forward to meeting you sooner than later because I’m brutally in love with you so we get to know each other then formalization will take place. Before that however, there are a few things I would like you to take note of. Here we go:

I am not perfect therefore I don’t expect that you are. I strive to do my best each given day so I hope you do same.

Please expect neither a fun filled marriage life nor a boring life. I will do well to balance it. Life is already complicated so do you best and leave the rest to God. Let’s make things as simple as we can.

Don’t worry if you culinary skills are terrible. I eat plenty salt and pepper if that will be the problem. I will by the way share with you what I know how to do best. “Angua Mo”(Braised Rice) and pepper with a rice cooker of course. The last time I tried charcoal, I got my hands burnt.

My Dear, I have no idea how many kids you might want to have but I am looking forward to fathering three of them. I pray they all look like me. Two boys and a girl. I will teach her to ride a bicycle, then a motor bike and even teach her to drive a truck. So prepare to nurse the bruises and oh the boys will be playing soccer which I didn’t do much as a kid or engage in a trade whilst in school.

I have decided also not to be a businessman or a lawyer or doctor but a University teacher. Get ready to be my first student each morning before I leave for school. I have chosen this career path so that taking care of the kids will not be done majorly by you only. This is so because I don’t want your wonderful career to suffer. Follow your passion. You have my total support. I want to be part of that process.

Intimately, we shall be a fabulous pair, we will talk about any and everything in all subject areas. Learn how to play video games and scrabbles as well as soccer because I have started watching telenovela though I don’t enjoy them.

Our lives sweetheart will always radiate warmth. It will be a wonder to many. Our home, a solace for strangers, our kitchen a respite for the thirsty and hungry and our hearts shall be warmer than my mum’s “dades3n”. Remember also, that I will stop at nothing to constructively critique you if the need be. And if I do, don’t hate me. I have an obligation to the truth with you. I’m ever ready for the late night chats, the snore (I hope you don’t snore) and the killer looks when I go wrong.

My domestic dictator, I promise to love you fondly like Christ loved the church. I promise again to be a wonderful husband to you and a father to our three kids. Forgive me when I drink sometimes. It will only be beer and I promise to add peanut so I can kiss you on my return home. I will make it a habit to kiss you every morning and night before bed. I could go on writing but I know how much you don’t like reading long essays so I will end here but will continue when me meet face to face. Be careful not to look into my face whilst we talk else I shall be confused.

Finally, I hope you keep yourself well. Please stay away from these guys. They are only interested in getting into your pants 😊. Be sure to wear little or no makeup when we meet sooner or later. I will remember you in my conversation with God each blessed day. So until when you decide to say YES, I love you till THE END.

Your Husband In Waiting,

K. Oteng.

 

My New Year DIS-SOLUTIONs

Each year of our live is blessed with 21900 seconds which translates into 365 days. And in a matter of days, the year will end. In actual fact, all we have left is a few seconds and 2016 shall fizzle out like gas from an open can of coke as. It will add up to the pages of history notes in all spheres. 2016 will be dead and gone. Never to be remembered again except for the memory of events it brought us.

But before 2016 gives up on its last breath, there are a couple of things I would like us to reflect on. Over the last few months in the year 2016, many birthdays have been celebrated; friends and family members have left us sad because they died. We have made irreparable mistakes and triumphed in many of our daily endeavors. We fell in and out of love with many of us vowing to not fall in love again. And so have we been disappointed by friends and family and oh by our favourite soccer teams. Old habits have been jilted like a bad relationship and new ones embraced.

But why am I saying all this? At the end of each year as has been the practice over time, many of us go into a new year with NEW YEAR resolutions. New year resolutions are meant to make us better people as what we planned to achieve becomes a blue print for our lives. But the question I’m asking is why do we have all manner of people few days after New Year’s day doing the very things they sad they were not going to do anymore. Bad eating habits, terrible relationships are just to mention a few. If resolutions are meant to correct the wrongs, why do we have people who hate others so much right in the middle of the year? Unfortunately, I have not the answer but an admonition.

Soon it will be 31st night. Many of us will throng our church halls. Pastors will be shocked again at the numbers. Prayers will be said, bible read and lessons preached giving the people a lot of hope for the coming year and YES resolutions will be made. That is just good enough. Good enough to start the year. So what about a month or two after? Will we still keep hold of the promises made in the form of resolutions to ourselves? If yes, then I can rest here otherwise what a waste of time it will be. If we cant keep a promise to ourselves, how are we likely to keep that made to others?

Here is my thought. As 2016 crawls to an end, in place of a resolution you can’t keep anyway, have an open mind and heart. In it, make it a point to genuinely smile every day, make people feel important, allow space for errors-that way you are not disappointed. Set goals for each month or however you feel comfortable doing it. Learn to THANK YOU & SORRY regularly and let someone thank God for your life- Look for opportunities to be a blessing to someone.

So my dear friends, I didn’t have a resolution for 2016 but I’m very happy I did the two things I wanted to really do. May the coming year bring us all good tidings, may it be full of smiles which shall end with praise. May it be our best year ever. MERRY CHRISTMAS & A FABULOUS NEW YEAR…