The Day the Sun Went Home (A Tribute to friendship)

Happy New Month People!

Wow! September is here already!

I still can't believe we're in the 9th month of the year 2021. I earnestly hope the year has been good to you. Today's post is special because it is from a guest writer. You recall I mentioned last month that we will be addressing relationships this period, well, enjoy this piece!

                                

Imagine waking up one day, and the sun isn't in the sky.

Your immediate reaction wouldn’t be fear. No, worry wouldn’t even get into your mind.

The reason is simple- There are just some things you've gotten used to having around. You probably don't even give much thought to those things.

As far as you're concerned, those things are just there- they are supposed to be there.

They will be there.

So maybe, you'll go back to bed and wait till the sun rises. But then you wake up again, and the sun is still missing from the sky, and it dawns on you that you the sun has gone home.

So, there you are- a confusing mix of emotions, and for the first time, it dawns on you that you'll miss the sun.

Worse still, you don't know how to miss the sun, you've built the entire world around the sun, and you never for once thought this day will come. You are not ready to miss the sun- you never were going to be.

Maybe you never really knew the sun, you think.

No, you don't, you realize.

All this while, all you've known was the sun's light- its bright yellow rays brightening your days and the feeling of warmth you've associated with it. On some days, you've known its heat, it burning, searing, flesh-burning heat- Let's face it, you can't possibly love the sun all the time, and so on those days, you've hated the sun.

All the same, you’ve woken up every other day looking forward to having the sun shining down on you. On days like that- you’ve forgiven all of its crimes, and it’s you and dear old sunlight.

Don't get confused when I speak of the sun this way- I'm not a man eulogizing the sun. I'm a man who has recently had to say goodbye to someone special- a brother, a friend.

The sun is just my way of illustrating his position in my life all this while- friend-brother.

So, yes. This is me saying goodbye to Victor.

Today, I suddenly appreciate the beauty of the moment when you meet a stranger who will become your friend. I'm sure God looks down from heaven, scratches his immaculate white beard, and says,

“These two fools have no idea how close they’re going to get”

God probably said that on the day I met you in campus church in 2012. Then I find out that you are my course-mate as well, and God is like, 'wait for it'.

Boom! You live close to my family residence. God is like, "wait, one more."

Boom! We attend the same church back home. God gets really excited, rubs his palm, and  …

Boom! We drive the same Benz.

Okay, the last one is a lie. But you get the point. Victor and I share a lot of things in common.

It's like the universe just really made it obvious that we were supposed to be friends, and for nine solid years, he's been just that.

No, he's been more than that. He has been my brother.   

And we've lived like brothers.

We've fought like brothers, and he get luck say I no break him head.

We've both witnessed each other's heartbreaks, and each time I've laughed at you because that's what brothers do.

We've shared our family members too- him, more than I have. I sometimes have to remind myself that your siblings and parents are not mine - I guess they are now.

Somehow, I always knew you were leaving the country soon. I was basically making preparations with you, but that didn’t prepare me for the moment you told me your visa had gotten approved.

For the first time, I realized that for the first time in 9 years, I wasn't going to have a Victor around.

You've been there from school days to the time we both got posted to Ogun State for service, to my moving to Lagos and requiring a place where I could stay comfortably and have peace of mind. I mean, I had places I could stay, you knew that too, but it didn’t matter- you shared your home up until the moment I left.

Nothing could have prepared me for the full realization of what your leaving meant. Thinking of it now, I haven’t really appreciated you enough, but it had nothing to do with ingratitude.

It has more to do with how much I've become used to you being around- and just like the sun, you've always been there.

Guess which is Victor?

Well, Finally the day has come when the sun has to go home.

So, when I wake up, and I don't see the sun in the sky, I'll feel sad, but I'll draw solace knowing you'll be somewhere in another part of the world shining. I’ll still see your rays, but I’ll have to learn to appreciate them from a distance.

Ours haven't been the best example of human relationships, but that's just the way it is with most friendships.

Learning to live for the beauty in the imperfection.

Safe sojourn, brother. Maybe someday we'll drive the same kind of Benz.

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Written by Chinedu Nwakanma a Nigerian-based creative/fiction writer who draws inspiration from the simple things of life which most often is overlooked and repackages it in the most imaginative way possible, opening his readers’ mind’s eye.

He applies this strategy for all his works which covers blog posts to articles and fictional works in several genres.

He lives in Lagos, Nigeria, and can be reached via his Facebook Page @ Chinedu Nwakanma

I hope you enjoyed this piece. Please let me know in the comment section if you have a special friend who is as close as a sibling. Friendship is a special kind of relationship that should never be taken for granted.

I love you and I am rooting for you. May September be favourable to you and yours.

#staysafe

#stayhealthy

#staypositive

#spreadlove

Photo credit: Country Living Magazine Pro Flowers 

© Onyinye Udeh