Yay! It’s another 5th of July and despite how weird this year has been, it has given me some time to reflect and reminisce. A particular reminisce-worthy time was this day last year when I got my first surprise dinner ever.
So, I have always anticipated Birthdays…
…not because I get to express the extent of my vanity, or get gifts or have an excuse to hang out and splurge a little more than usual, they just always mean to me a set-aside date to reflect, in whatever way I choose to, and be excited about what’s to come. To me, birthday celebrations are a mix of gratitude and faith. Gratitude for the years past and faith in the years to come. (I just came up with this to justify my vanity, and it’s looking like sense.)
As the sometimes vain person that I am, I always have a visual plan of what I would like to experience each birthday and 5th July 2019 was not in any way different (p.s I had this draft last year. Nobody told us we wouldn’t be having any choices in 2020. welp). The ones who know me already called to ask what was happening this particular year (2019). I always had things up my sleeves. However, it was quite different this time because I was broke. It was also quite different because, even as broke as I was, there was zilch panic. I was gliding through life and taking each day as it came. So when the questions came up asking about my birthday plan, my auto-response was “nothing dear, ko so wo (meaning ‘no money’)”. Close to the 5th, a good friend, Wemimo, asked the already familiar question and per usual, I gave the auto response ko sowo dear.
Well, this one response had a feedback I liked very much. She was going to take me out! I finally had a new response to “what’s happening on the 5th” – “Wemimo is taking me out”. Ghen Ghen! I was so excited! We got to the Chinese Restaurant in VI, and ‘Surpriseee’! It turned out to be not just her taking me out, but some of my favorite girls who were in on the plan – Tayo, Dee, Ekene, Gray Gray & Dale. It was surreal for me because, in my 20 plus years, I had never been surprised in that way before and that meant a lot. Moreso, I didn’t even think of getting myself a cake with the way my account balance was set up, but I got cakes/gift from my Boss at the time and another Deola, a sweet friend (I know two Dees). I also remember the lit pepper soup from Dej. A foodie like me wouldn’t forget that. My heart (and tummy obviously) was full on this day.
*Inserts suspense sound, Nollywood style* There is a backstory…
Quick wisdom question before the backstory: if one Deola is called Dee how do you call ‘today’ with your teeth clenched? -‘Two Dee’… Lol, I’m sorry, I just had to. Don’t leave me please
The backstory begins with me calling my parents to tell them how I had been surprised despite being so broke, and like almost every old Nollywood movie, there are flashback scenes with my Dad as the Narrator as he walks me through some time in July, 1992. The 5th day to be precise…
My mum went into labour and some days, you plan but other events take over the plan. That’s why, before you say “it can never be me”, think about it. Back to the backstory, plans were clearly not aligning this particular year in the 90s, and not to mince words, they were broke. In my dad’s words, they didn’t even have enough to pay hospital bills.
In this flashback from my dad, my mum also chips in. So we have two narrators now (na wa). According to my mum, my birth almost took her life. After birthing me, she felt herself slipping and didn’t even have enough consciousness to tug at my dad’s shirt for help.
Well, the Master Planner of our entire lives’ journeys caused someone to look her way just in time and immediately got the doctor to revive her (yup! it is Church in here, hallelujah somebody!). Despite the rigorous birthing experience of this stubborn girl who shall be later named ‘Oyinloluwa’, my mum is alive and well. Thank God, but the hospital bill won’t pay itself.
I imagined the hospital bill staring them in the face like that GIF from TheFour staredown between P-Diddy and Elijah Connor (if you know this reference without thinking twice and we aren’t following each other on Twitter, we probably should! – follow me). Then, something interesting happened – the reason for this backstory. The doctor without even knowing their financial situation, covered the entire hospital bill! – ‘Surpriseeee’!
So, sometimes when I try to explain my name – Oyinloluwa, I might seem dramatic but I’ll go again for those in the back: God is too sweet, no known words could possibly describe Him. In the absence of words, the purest, sweetest thing – Honey- stands as the nonexistent-word filler for the name – Oyinloluwa.
In retrospect, does this backstory remind you of a time you had been divinely helped? … I hope that during the dark days (or a year like 2020), we will remember the times God sent help so timely, it burst our brains; and that the memories will reassure us of how mindful He is of us. Yes, even in the dark days.
P.s. Big Thank you to every one who has ever celebrated me in one way or the other on my birthday, even the ‘HBD’ folks, I appreciate everyone of you.
Adebule Mariam
Waow nice 1
Adebule Mariam
Waow nice 1
Gracious Akande
I am grateful to God that you have lived up to your name, surrounding us all with sweetness ♥️♥️♥️
Gracious Akande
I am grateful to God that you have lived up to your name, surrounding us all with sweetness ♥️♥️♥️
Odejobi Morowooluwa
Happy birthday ma. Long life and prosperity😍😍😍
oyinloluwa
Thank you Owo, I appreciate. Amen 🙏🏾
Odejobi Morowooluwa
Happy birthday ma. Long life and prosperity😍😍😍
oyinloluwa
Thank you Owo, I appreciate. Amen 🙏🏾
Ekene Temi
Honey-girl, you are special. Happy Birthday!!! 🍯🎁🎉🎂🎈🎊 🤍
oyinloluwa
Ekene, I appreciate you. Thank you
Ekene Temi
Honey-girl, you are special. Happy Birthday!!! 🍯🎁🎉🎂🎈🎊 🤍
oyinloluwa
Ekene, I appreciate you. Thank you
Temitayo Ajewole
You are as sweet as your name means😍. Happy birthday to her royal sweetness. Much love from my heart.
oyinloluwa
Thank you darling Tay!
Temitayo Ajewole
You are as sweet as your name means😍. Happy birthday to her royal sweetness. Much love from my heart.
oyinloluwa
Thank you darling Tay!
David
Lol this was such a good read. But that joke, I am definitely leaving you 😅
oyinloluwa
Thank you for reading. I’ll work on my ‘Wisdom’ quotes😫.
David
Lol this was such a good read. But that joke, I am definitely leaving you 😅
oyinloluwa
Thank you for reading. I’ll work on my ‘Wisdom’ quotes😫.
Liz
Happy birthday my darling and almost birthday mate! I enjoyed this ❤️
oyinloluwa
Liz! Thank you. You are light. I need to go keep up on Centricpodcast: https://anchor.fm/thecentriqueepodcast/episodes/OFFICE-ROMANCE-YAY-OR-NAY-efucib
Liz
Happy birthday my darling and almost birthday mate! I enjoyed this ❤️
oyinloluwa
Liz! Thank you. You are light. I need to go keep up on Centricpodcast: https://anchor.fm/thecentriqueepodcast/episodes/OFFICE-ROMANCE-YAY-OR-NAY-efucib