Looking so motionless and very lifeless, he lay on the hospital bed .I
scanned him from head to toe and could not even realize a single
movement in his muscles. He was dressed in his deep blue working
gear. The gear that had suffered in every way I could think of. It had
been randomly blackened by sparks from the wearer's welding machine
.It sides had been frayed by my constant washing. With big and puffy
eyes which were conspicuous even though I was bespectacled, I cried
out again. I felt my heart crying out also, as if it had given up its
function because what motivated it was now gone. I knelt down by his
hospital bed and, with a shaky voice, whispered into his ear, 'We love
you father! Why do you have to leave us so soon?'
My mother, sobbing uncontrollably, held my left hand and told me,
'Everything would be alright'. But that was not enough! That was just
not enough to relieve me of this pain .It rather pierced my heart so
deeply, I could not control the emotions that were developing within
me .I had just lost my dad. My earthly father! Somebody who had been
my inspiration since I knew what the word really meant .I felt as if all
my dreams - to study abroad; in a more developed country, to be a
mathematics teacher and to formulate Mathematical formulas like
Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey - were gradually becoming
more like a mere dream to me.
That day- January3, 2014-was really life changing. It had been a month
after this event happened and I was preparing for the Secondary School
Certificate Examination. When the tragedy happened, I thought I could
not excel in the examinations because everything that happened was
all coming back to me every day of my life. I almost gave up. I had had
enough of all the family quarrels over my father's properties, his
working tools that brought him into memory and the discouragement
these brought to my future aspirations. Skimming through my
Mathematics Notebook, I arrived at some inspirational quotes I had
written in the book a year ago-I had considered one each month and
reflected on it. For the month of February the quote was supposed to
be "Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the
way things turn out"-John Wooden. "Hey, teenager! How come you
forgot to consider the quote for this month?", I told myself.
And I can honestly say, this quote caused a turning point in my life. I
had to restructure some part of my life-the way I viewed life. I had to
look at it with a different perspective. Losing my father came as a shock
to me, but that was not an excuse for me not achieving my dreams. I
had to accept it as a challenge and forge ahead. Making the best of the
way things turn out-and especially in this situation-has been really
helpful and has had an impact in my life. I remember when my friends
used to ask me why I don't talk about my father again. This kind of a
question really rekindled some bitterness in me. I either had to deviate
their focus or ignore them- which usually caused a feud. I was afraid to
say he was alive, fearing that they would find out sooner or later and I
was also cautious to say that he was gone since their condolences could
cause a flashback of painful memories. But now, making the best of the
way things turn out, I had to accept the inevitable occurrence and move
on with life!
scanned him from head to toe and could not even realize a single
movement in his muscles. He was dressed in his deep blue working
gear. The gear that had suffered in every way I could think of. It had
been randomly blackened by sparks from the wearer's welding machine
.It sides had been frayed by my constant washing. With big and puffy
eyes which were conspicuous even though I was bespectacled, I cried
out again. I felt my heart crying out also, as if it had given up its
function because what motivated it was now gone. I knelt down by his
hospital bed and, with a shaky voice, whispered into his ear, 'We love
you father! Why do you have to leave us so soon?'
My mother, sobbing uncontrollably, held my left hand and told me,
'Everything would be alright'. But that was not enough! That was just
not enough to relieve me of this pain .It rather pierced my heart so
deeply, I could not control the emotions that were developing within
me .I had just lost my dad. My earthly father! Somebody who had been
my inspiration since I knew what the word really meant .I felt as if all
my dreams - to study abroad; in a more developed country, to be a
mathematics teacher and to formulate Mathematical formulas like
Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey - were gradually becoming
more like a mere dream to me.
That day- January3, 2014-was really life changing. It had been a month
after this event happened and I was preparing for the Secondary School
Certificate Examination. When the tragedy happened, I thought I could
not excel in the examinations because everything that happened was
all coming back to me every day of my life. I almost gave up. I had had
enough of all the family quarrels over my father's properties, his
working tools that brought him into memory and the discouragement
these brought to my future aspirations. Skimming through my
Mathematics Notebook, I arrived at some inspirational quotes I had
written in the book a year ago-I had considered one each month and
reflected on it. For the month of February the quote was supposed to
be "Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the
way things turn out"-John Wooden. "Hey, teenager! How come you
forgot to consider the quote for this month?", I told myself.
And I can honestly say, this quote caused a turning point in my life. I
had to restructure some part of my life-the way I viewed life. I had to
look at it with a different perspective. Losing my father came as a shock
to me, but that was not an excuse for me not achieving my dreams. I
had to accept it as a challenge and forge ahead. Making the best of the
way things turn out-and especially in this situation-has been really
helpful and has had an impact in my life. I remember when my friends
used to ask me why I don't talk about my father again. This kind of a
question really rekindled some bitterness in me. I either had to deviate
their focus or ignore them- which usually caused a feud. I was afraid to
say he was alive, fearing that they would find out sooner or later and I
was also cautious to say that he was gone since their condolences could
cause a flashback of painful memories. But now, making the best of the
way things turn out, I had to accept the inevitable occurrence and move
on with life!
