*The Air India Plane Crash*

To some, just another breaking news story.
To me, it was a soul-stirring reminder of how fragile and unpredictable life really is.

Four lives. Four stories. Four powerful lessons that changed how I see time, purpose, and the grace of each moment.

*First*
A family who had waited years to fulfill their dream of migrating to the UK.
Life kept getting in the way: responsibilities, delays, decisions.
They finally made it onto the plane but never reached their destination.

And I realized:
We carry so many plans for “someday.” But if we keep waiting, someday becomes never.

*Second*
A woman who was supposed to be on that flight.
She arrived late. Missed the check-in. Pleaded to get on board but was denied.
She was frustrated, angry, defeated.
Only to later realize that delay was divine protection.

We don’t always get what we want because God sees what we cannot.
Sometimes, His “no” is what keeps us alive.

*Third*
A man who survived.
The plane split in half, and he happened to be in the section that didn’t catch fire.
He walked away, dazed and alive, from something no one thought survivable.

It wasn’t luck.
It was purpose.
And I was reminded of the verse:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

It simply wasn’t his time.

*Fourth*
And then those who didn’t make it.
People with dreams.
People with families.
People with unfinished stories.
They kissed someone goodbye that morning, not knowing it was the last time.

Their lives remind us that time is not guaranteed.
We’re not promised old age.
We’re not promised later.
What we have is now. A breath. A heartbeat. A chance.

So while you still have today,
While you’re still breathing, still strong, still able, don’t waste it.
Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment.

*Love now.*
*Apologize now.*
*Forgive now.*
*Dream now.*
*Speak now.*

Because life doesn’t always come with warnings.
And sometimes… “next time” never comes.


*Food for Thought*
What would you do differently if you truly believed today might be your last?

#copied

So, I usually give my neighbor's son, Jeremy, a lift to school whenever I am going to work. He knows I leave home by 7am so by 6:30am he is at my gate waiting for me to take him to school.

He is always on time and never comes late. I felt the mother was helping him keep to time as well but I never asked. Me and her has never spoken or talked before. I rarely see her because she leaves home as early as 6am and returns late at night.

Something bothered me.

Anytime I drop Jeremy at school, he says thank you Dad, embraces me and runs off.

Haa!

I felt it was strange. I wondered why he called me Dad instead of Uncle.

So I asked him one time while taking him to school.

"How about your daddy?"

"I don't know him. Mum says he is somewhere and she doesn't know where."

"So why do you call me daddy when I drop you off in school."

"Well because I see you as my daddy. In my school, everyone's dad drops them off at school. And you drop me off at school too."

I smiled.

I understood where the dad thing was coming from.

On Friday, while driving him to school I noticed he was not happy. He was very quiet all through the ride. I asked him what the problem was and he told me.

"Our school asked our parents to come for an important meeting on Monday. Mummy said she will not be able to come because she will be busy on Monday."

"Is that why you are sad?"

He nodded his head.

"Everyone father and mother will come. My mother will not be there."

I asked him to cheer up.

On Monday morning, after I dropped him off at school. He came down and said bye Dad.

I noticed he wasn't happy.

I drove off and by 9am I decided to return to the school to attend the meeting.

When his mates saw me, someone shouted.

"Jeremy, see your daddy. He shouted and ran to embrace me."

He held my hands and took me to where the meeting is being held.

After the meeting, I left.

He was very happy I showed up. I could see the pride in his face.

This morning, I waited for Jeremy and didn't see him. I went to his house and was told he had gone to school.

This is the first time in 2 months he is going without me.

I am just worried.

Really worried.

So worried.

My name is Amos and I am the best at what I do.

#copied

My boyfriend, the Keke driver
(Episode 2)

Papa shot his eyes for a moment, as if composing himself before he spoke. “Teyeabasi, as I am giving you this money to pay your fees,” he said as he unfolded the naira notes in his hands, “I want you to make your mother and I proud. We didn’t have the opportunity to reach the university level, if we did, we would have done better for you. I am just a security man, my salary is ten thousand naira in a month, and your mother and I have been saving this money for your education.” He said as he placed the money in my hands, I held it firmly and knelt before him.
“Papa, thank you.” I said.

“You should greet your mother when she comes back from work too.”

“I will.” I said as I hurried up on my feet.

He was ready for work, and I was ready for school. I gave him a light hug and ran out of the house.

Running into my street, I could see myself in the classroom already, sitting upright and listening to the lecturers.

“This girl, you like running too much. You be athlete?” The man who repairs generator on my street said. I ignored him and ran faster. I was wearing my black trainers with the pink laces, the only shoes I had. It was given to me by my former Neigbor aunty Imayen.”

Arriving school I was perplexed by the crowds of students who were lined up to pay their fees. There were murmurings as I joined the queue. One of the girls who had a long braided hair stared at my trainers disgustingly. Then she murmured something into her friend’s ears and they bursted out laughing so loud. I stood there as they spoke as if I wasn’t there.

A banker appeared in a black suit and a red tie that had the bank logo pasted on it. The girls squeezed some naira notes into his hands and he walked away. They walked out of the queue, laughing loud.

“What sort of nonsense is that, en? We have been standing here for long a long time, waiting, just like the others, and you walked in here ...and... see, I don’t want to get angry o.” The young man standing behind me said with anger in his tone. I turned to see the person who was bold enough to address the banker, and my heart trembled at his site. He was a tall and handsome, dark skin young man, and he had dreamy eyes too.

“Come and beat me now. Come and beat me.” The banker muttered and walked away.

He gave a loud sigh and his eyes met mine.
“Why are you looking at me? Do you like me?” He asked as he winked at me. I turned my face to the front and giggled shyly.

“Are you upset that I spoke to that rude banker in that manner?” He asked, whispering into my ears.
I rolled my eyes, “why should I be upset?” I asked.
“Oh well,” he shrugged.

It took another one hour to get to my turn, and for the first time that afternoon, I wanted to cry. My legs were hurting me. The guy watched me with his dreamy fine eyes and silently handed me a bottle of water.

“Thanks,” I said and gulped down the water. Immediately.

“What’s your name?” He asked as I moved forward.

“Teyeabasi.” I said softly and gulped the water again.

“I am Udoma.” He said as he handed me the half soggy biscuit he had in his hands.

“Thank you,” I mouthed silently and ate it.

After my payment of my school fees, I waited for him at the counter. “I am done.” He said as he dragged my hands out of the bank excitedly, with a familiar bond.

“So, you’re a student here?” He asked. I nodded with a smile, “I just got admission, I am new. You don’t look like a newbie, which department are you?” I asked.

“I am not a student.” He said calmly, looking embarrassed.

“You’re a graduate?” I asked.

“No.”

“So what are you doing here?”

“I drive a Kekenapep. That’s my Keke over there,” he pointed at a yellow painted tricycle. “ I drive in campus. I came to pay in money into my account here.” He said. I nodded and smiled at him.

“So, where are you heading?”

“I don’t still believe you aren’t a graduate, you speak really cool English.”

“I own SSCE. I went to a good secondary school until I lost my father.”

“I am sorry about that.” I said.

“So where are you heading? I can drop you for free, don’t worry, you won’t pay.” He said.

“Department of petroleum engineering.” I said as I walked to where his tricycle was parked.

“Wow, very few women are in that department.” He said.

“How did you know?”

“Because I have passengers I pick from there often. They are mostly guys and a few ladies. So, tell me, you wanna work offshore, oil company?” He asked as he got inside the keke. I carefully sat on the passenger’s seat and listened. “I like you. You’re calm, naturally beautiful and there is this beauty that is rare in you. I can’t really say.” He said. He talked all along about my beauty as he drove me through the potholes and bumps.

When he stopped at my department I alighted from the keke and stared into his eyes with a smile. “How much is my money?” I asked.
He laughed, “are you sure you really wanna pay? That was a drop o. Did you see me carry any other passenger?” He asked.

I smiled down at him. “Thank you.”

“So what time will you be done? I can come take you to wherever you would want.” He winked at me, I giggled. “Em, I want to copy my timetable.” I said shyly. He ran his hands over my Afro abruptly. “Is this your real hair?” He asked. I nodded. “Wow, it is so big!” He exclaimed, “you’re the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.” He said, his brown eyes were admiring and bewildered.

“I have to leave now.” I said. He held my hands softly, “let me call you. Please let me have your number.” He said.

“I don’t have a phone.” I said.

“Kidding?”

I laughed, “ I am serious, I don’t have a phone.”

“And If I get you a small phone?” He asked, blowing incredible kisses at me.

“Phones are expensive, where are you going to get the money from?” I asked.

He bursted out laughing, “I drive keke, I have money to buy you a Nokia torch light phone that we could be using to talk to each other at night. You do midnight call right?” He asked. Looking straight into my eyes as he held the keke handle. He was was tall that his head almost hit the top of the keke.
He suddenly stalked toward me like a lion about to attack a beautiful gazelle.
My chest began to rise and fall, harder when he got out of the keke and stood in front of me.

“I can get you a small phone and a SIM card on my way back to pick you. Just give me time.” He said.

“5:pm is fine. I will be standing by the hibiscus flower over there.” I said pointing at it. His eyes never left mine as I made my way to the department.

Shyly at first, I wasn’t used to the people around me, my new course mates. Udoma was right, they were lots of boys than girls in the department. As I Introduced myself to more of my course mates, I realised that I was the one out of six girls in my set.

I wrote my timetable at the back of my notebook, I attended my first boring lecture. It was just 4:57 pm when I headed outside and met Udoma’s keke Parked by the hibiscus flower.

“Hey,” I said quietly.

“Hey. How was your first class?” He asked as he handed me a small bag. “I got you a phone and a SIM card.” He said with a smile.

“You were serious?” I asked, looking bewildered.

“Of course.” He retorted. Laughing to himself, he took the bag from me and took out the phone from it box, then he quickly fixed the sim card in it. When he put it on, he showed it to me, “see? It’s ready for use. You have to charge it for over six hours so that you have battery issues.” He said.
I nodded smilingly as I took the phone from him. “I have copied your phone number from the sim pack.”

“Okay,” I said softly. He held my hands and led me into his keke.

“Are you thirsty? Name your poison.” He said as he handed me two bottles of coke and sprite.

“Coke.” I said. His eyes widened in delighted surprise as he handed the coke to me and then packs of biscuits. Laughing to myself, I glanced down at the tiny sized biscuits he’d placed by my side.

I was shy to lead him into my street. But he wasn’t. He wasn’t ashamed. He wasn’t embarrassed to drive into the dark street that will take another ten years for the government to recognize.

“What time is your lectures tomorrow?” He asked.

“By ten in the morning.”

“I will come pick you up.”

“Can you not come near my compound? My father is very strict, and might not condone seeing me near a man.” I said. He nodded.

“I understand.” He said with a husky voice. When he winked at me for the last time. everything inside of me stilled.