Hocus-Pocus!…and it’s all peaches…

December 11, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha30 Comments

Without much ado, if I had one shot as a Super Power to change the law of Nature, I have no need to set my eye’s too far.

I will weave my spell that all mankind will have innate and undeniable abilities to love selflessly, without prejudice.

Wouldn’t that be out-rightly peachy?

If we take our minds off for a moment and think of everything that plagues mankind and where it emanates from, we would find that the deep roots of all problems simply generates from lack or insufficient love.

Insufficient love for God gives birth to disobedience, lack of trust, dishonesty, wickedness and a long list of negativity.

Our inner spirit’s are forever in a state of turmoil due to this disobedience and consequently gives birth to its own fruits; from self fulfilling hatred that is cascaded down to others – because, one cannot give that which they lack – to avarice and greed, envy, corruption, moral decrepitude and an endless list of vices.

Indeed where there is no love, there in lies a multitude of sins.

So, it’s got to be love all the way, if I had my way to some hocus-pocus.

When we love we respect. When we love we are patient and kind. When we love we care. When we love we are understanding. When we love we are generous with our laughter, our light, our riches and ourselves. When we love we are not proud. When we love there is absence of greed and self-seeking. When we love we are free.

The Daily Post If I ruled the World.

You’ve been given the superpower to change one law of nature. How do you use it?

”There are three things that last; Faith, Hope and Love but the greatest of all these is Love.” 1 Cor – 13:13

Creative Writing · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Love · Poetry/Poems · The Daily Post

The Sweet Nothings… :)

December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha30 Comments

There lives a fair maiden
She has a sweet tooth
Carts full of sweet laden
She puts in her booth

Her eyes fill with twinkles
Her cheeks show their dimples
At thoughts of sweet sprinkles
She laughs with merry tinkles

A lick and a nibble, she sighs, Oh my,
This bite feels so right
It gives so much delight
Oh how I enjoy this, though it sits on my thighs.

Enjoy The Archies: You are my candy girl. My dad played this so much when I was just an itty-bitty little girl.

The Daily Post Prompt Pour some sugar on me.

What is your favorite sweet thing to eat? Bread pudding? Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies? A smooth and creamy piece of cheesecake? Tell us all about the anticipation and delight of eating your favorite dessert. Not into sweets? Tell us all about your weakness for that certain salty snack.

Life · Personal story · Quotes For You · The Daily Post

When Enough is Enough!…

December 7, 2015December 7, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha38 Comments

Not saying no was a problem I battled with for a long time. I was always going above and beyond to assist people and this left me feeling pressured and even created very uncomfortable situations for me in the past.

A lot of times, once someone came to me with their issues, I sought ways to help alleviate their challenges, to help them as much as I could, until I learnt that people will bleed you for whatever you are worth until you become a limp rag and that saying no, is not a crime.

Back then not being able to readily assist someone practically gave me depression. I was left with the feeling of failing to help, which would sit within me for quite some time, even when I knew that I was not in a position to offer the assistance that they sought at that point in time.

At some point in time, I was a member to so many groups and serving in the group in one capacity or the other, that my life was always hectic and inundating.

It was in praying for myself that I realized that my sanity mattered more than what other people thought about my declining their offers and requests, so I started chopping off the strings to make space for me to breath.

Now, saying no is not a hardship, especially when I don’t feel spiritually in tune with the request.

I am not in a bid to impress anyone and if I am in a position to help someone, or to serve, I go ahead and do so, on my own terms.

If I am not in a position to help, I simply state that fact and it is what it is.

The Daily Post Sorry I am busy.

Tell us about a time when you should have helped someone… but didn’t.

Creative Writing · Inspiration - Motivation · Monday Motivations · Photographs · Poetry/Poems · Quotes For You · The Daily Post

Are You Contagious?…

December 7, 2015December 7, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

Around and around the weeks don’t last

Monday is here, in a blink floats past,

And Tuesday rolls in just as fast.

Quick fun fact:

It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. We dare you, give it a try!

It’s lovely to start the week and each day as much as we can with positive outlook. I find Leannenz Monday memes interesting.

Do have a beautiful week, awesome people.

Family · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Life · Personal story · The Daily Post

Twiddle Dee…Truant Me…personal

December 6, 2015December 6, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha24 Comments

Mum, now that I have grown old enough to know better, I am sorry for wasting your funds in the past; this apology was long overdue. Thank you WordPress for reminding me.

You painstakingly paid for several sessions of holiday piano classes with my primary school music teacher, but it seemed like a waste of precious childhood vacation time in my eyes, not when some of my playmates were busy playing hopscotch next door.

So, I hopscotched away my time and never got past clumsily tapping little ditties and the ‘do re mi fa so la ti do’ of piano things.

In simpler terms, I played truant with my piano lessons and I received a thorough telling off, a note-worthy smack and cancelled piano lessons since it appeared that I had no appreciation for the fineness of music.

Who knows, maybe if I had stuck to it, I might have struck the right chord and become a musical child prodigy.

Please don’t dare chuckle when I say that I am now expending my own money trying to play catch up with the piano lessons that I should have learnt back then 😃

However, I am not totally a lost cause, I did learn how to play the flute quite well and it’s not such a bad thing, just that it leaves me breathless.

The Daily Post prompt Strike a chord.

Do you play an instrument? Is there a musical instrument whose sound you find particularly pleasing? Tell us a story about your experience or relationship with an instrument of your choice.

Life · Personal story · Photographs · The Daily Post

I Stare An Enemy Down With My Two Eyes….personal

December 6, 2015December 6, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha34 Comments

As a matter of fact, I have been stung twice in my life by Scorpions!

The first time was as a very curious young toddler playing in a rubble of stones with playmates and I got a shock of a sting from an annoyed scorpion that I must have disturbed while rummaging.

The pain of that episode has receded to parts of my memory that I can’t quite recall, but my mother remembers quite well.

The second incident was as a teenager in boarding school who was rushing to the refectory from prep in the evening.

I unwittingly stepped on my enemy once again and the pain of that sting scarred a part of my mind forever.

The burning degrees of pain, when the venom from the sting of a black scorpion crawls up one’s leg are very memorable and would make a grown man cry.

The scorpion in this picture was captured through my lens, at a safe distance in a rain-forest reserve.

The Daily Post Photo Challenge Eye Spy

The Daily Post · writing ideas

For Sure, I Will Read It…

December 5, 2015December 6, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

If the truth be told, what I know for sure is that I would not be able to resist digging into the book about my life and I will probably run to the very last page to see how it ended before taking my time to go through it with a fine tooth comb to know if the author/s got it right to the letter, if they did a shoddy job or if they tweaked it a bit to make the naughty parts juicier.

I am not going to tell you righteous tales of being so good that I won’t read it.

That would be telling a lie and my guardian angel would probably cover her eye’s in embarrassed shame at such a blatant fat gaffe.

It has been written already, so I might as well indulge and remind myself of somethings and possibly prepare myself for the best years of my life which lies ahead.

It actually reminds me of Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas past. About how he got to mend his grumpy ways after the early revelations.

Without doubts, I know some pages will make me cringe in, ‘how-could- I-do-that’ manner.

Some would make me cry, laugh, get angry, sigh ,moan, feel nostalgic and every possible emotion that will be caught in-between.

I guess I will order up a box of tissue in case I turn into a watering pot, some feel good Swiss chocolate and a nice tub of Haagen Daz ice-cream to help smooth my ruffled feathers back into place or calm raging nerves if need be.

What a lovely exposition that would be, if ever such an opportunity came. After all, ”to be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

The Daily Post prompt This Is Your Life.

If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you? If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover.

Hope · Quotes For You · The Daily Post · Travel

Travel Itch…

December 3, 2015December 3, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha36 Comments

Having been fortunate to have wandered a bit around the globe, both as a footloose and single chic and presently as a married lady with a husband who also has a nomadic spirit; as a matter of fact, his loose feet are far worse than mine, I must say without any hesitation that traveling is an education in itself.

It is a worthwhile venture, though it can be expensive to do so.

Something that I realized is that some of the things which we spend money on, and which we forget as soon as that expense has been made, can be given up and the money set aside for a bit of exploring.

These days I noticed that I am keen to go discovering, but for shorter periods at a time. The hassles involved in migrating are no mean feat and I speak from vast experience.

Maybe my nesting senses are kicking in as I grow older and with the children growing older as well, it gets a bit disruptive to up and go because it entails a whole lot of changes, from accommodation, to mobility to new school, to a new culture etc.

It surprises me at times, at how my children have blended into the various societies that they have had to live in and how they make friends so quickly, that most times before I can say hello, I am having friends mothers call my phone to invite them for one do or the other. We are rolling stones but we tend to gather a lot of moss as we go along 🙂

I believe that the opportunity of having lived in very diverse environments definitely gives one a broader sense of understanding, exposure, knowledge, adaptability and so much more.

That said, there are some places that have been on my mind to visit for a good vacation time and I hope that in the near future, I will be able to scratch these travel itches.

I would love to visit so many places and see so many things but if I were to start right now, these would be my first five:

The Fiji Islands
New Zealand
Prague
Morocco
Scandinavia – Sweden, Finland, Norway

Visiting a lot of the ancient and World Heritage places all over, like the Great Barrier Reef, The Wall of China, Machu Picchu etc. would just be awesome.

Time will tell how these things go.

“Traveling leaves you speechless, then it turns you into a storyteller.” Ibn Batutta

”I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” Susan Sontag

”Once a year, go some place that you have never been before.” Dalai Lama

The Daily Post prompt The Wanderer

Tell us about the top five places you’ve always wanted to visit.

Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Poetry/Poems · The Daily Post

Make The Most Of It!…

December 2, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha36 Comments

Sometimes, our approach to everything is a case of mind over matter especially when it comes to weather issues that we have no control over.

To an extent it might be true that peoples moods are highly affected by the weather, maybe there might even be a scientific explanation for this.

However, I maintain that since we have absolutely no control over sultry summer heats or bitter winter chills, we can only exercise control over how we choose to react to either situation.

Each season has it’s beauty, even the harsh seasons like Winter which comes with a lot of challenges, dampness and grayness.

Nonetheless, if we choose to look at things with the attitude of acceptance and positivity, it will also elevate our mind and change our altitude, that we will begin to actively seek ways to make that period pass more pleasurably.

There is no point in wasting a good couple of months sitting in the doldrums of misery, for a situation that cannot be changed. It is a case of Lord give me the grace to accept and endure the things that I cannot change.

When we moved to Dubai in July, the heat was second to none.

It sweltered so badly that one would have surely suffered from heatstroke from being out in such fiery heat.

We simply adjusted and found ways of keeping out of the heat, living and hydrating.

Now the temperature has cooled sufficiently and the weather is absolutely divine.

I intend to wring out every moment of it to the best of my ability whilst it last because, who knows what Madam Winter has to offer next time around.

My little ditty might make you catch a cold but will put a smile on your face.

The Daily Post prompt Climate Control

The idea that the weather and people’s moods are connected is quite old. Do you agree? If yes, how does the weather affect your mood?

Image credit: Pinterest/funny2014.com

Family · Hope · Life · Quotes For You · Success · The Daily Post · Writing

When I Was Just A Little Girl…personal

December 1, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha38 Comments

I have to hum this song of Doris Day in my head while at it:

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother what will I be
Will I be pretty will I be rich
Here’s what she said to me

Que Sera Sera
Whatever will be will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que Sera Sera
What will be will be

When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows day after day
Here’s what my sweetheart said

Que Sera Sera
Whatever will be will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que Sera Sera
What will be will be

Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother what will I be
Will I be handsome will I be rich
I tell them tenderly

Que Sera Sera
Whatever will be will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que Sera Sera
What will be will be
Que Sera Sera

Doris Day Que sera sera

Like most young children, I had as many aspirations as my diapers were changed, ranging from being a newscaster, an actress, a mother, a singer, a nurse, a pilot, a lawyer, a writer, a fashion designer….just about everything that you could think of in the book.

I don’t recall wanting to be a police officer, because the Nigerian police of my growing up years were not particularly inspiring.

We hardly knew what fire service men looked like, because if someone’s house unfortunately caught fire, they would attempt to quench the thirst of the licking hot flames with buckets of water while watching their properties turn to cinders, so I had no aspirations in that direction.

I fancied being a doctor at some point, because of the films that I watched, where they looked so capable and nice in their scrubs.

I dabbled a bit here and there in living my childhood dreams.

A bit of novice modelling and amateur acting, debating and writing for young magazines.

I learnt how to sew and realized that I would rather draw the designs than sew the clothes.

I studied law but I am not a practicing lawyer.

I went into international relations/French language and spent over a dozen years working with Multinational and Diplomatic corps.

After my children arrived, I waded into entrepreneurial ventures and found it to my liking – I love being the boss of me and having time for my young family.

In all my multi desires, the strongest desire which has not fallen by the wayside over time, but has only grown stronger has been my writing aspirations.

This is the flame that I want to keep stoking so that it can burn as high as possible and I think that my cumulative, diverse experiences brings a lot to bear into my writing.

I feel as if my writing is an embodiment of all my past aspirations and even those that are still at incubating stage such as some of my interests in Life coaching and Entrepreneurship. We shall see how it goes.

Now, I find several me’s embedded inside one me: Me (myself), me the wife, me the mother, me the child of my parents, me the writer, me the friend, me the life student and many more me’s to discover.

Life is a consistent transition and as I roll with the constant fluidity of life, part of the affirmations I make to myself are that:

I will live and not die wishing that I had lived better. I will live to declare the goods works of the Lord in the land of the living. I will live moment by moment, loving my life as it is and loving those around me. I will not live in fear of daring to succeed but will dare to succeed and fail forward.

The Daily Post Ballerian-Fireman-Astronaut-Movie-Star

When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up? What are you now? Are the two connected?

Image credit: Pinterest