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American Coming of Age Black

''Try to show me the middle C" I say to Micah my student for the day. The teachers at Music School are out today so we the older students, by 4 weeks, are to help teach the new comers. My student for the day Micah, who I found out is 12, is older than I am by 2 years. He seems to be more interested in my face than what I'm teaching him on the keyboard. Micah stares at the keyboard and then at me and then back at the keyboard and goes ''Where was that again?'' he asks, " You know what, let's take a break, I think we're both tired''. ''Emmanuella! Emmanuella!!'' my mom calls jolting me out of one of my many flashbacks, I seem to be having a lot of those lately. I seat in the first row in the middle of the pew at Church watching Micah play the organ for the Church and I sitting there knowing little to nothing about this same instrument I ''taught'' him a few years back. Wandering how that happened or even how it's even possible well that's my story....

After music

school, a 3 month long course in the summer of 2012, I was sent off to Boarding

school, as was the norm among well-to-do families where I come from. The aim as

was thought by parents was to make us independent, we the children however saw

it as payback time for all the house chores and duties we skipped growing up.

In boarding school, we were made to do a lot of chores, I mean A LOT, including

washing the toilets, dishes, sometimes gardening, and I tell ya; not in a fun

way....

But now that I

think about it it was interesting and worth the experience.

In year 8, two

years into secondary school, I joined the school orchestra as a violin player,

reason being the violin was a peaceful instrument, meanwhile the real reason; I

was too scared to play the piano and find out I had forgotten. In year 10, I

joined the choir in order to develop my singing voice, I also became a member

of the school football(soccer) team. in Year 11, one year before I finished

secondary school, I guilt tripped my parents- though not intentionally- into

buying me a saxophone which I took up in the school orchestra in place of the

violin, I believed I had found my ''calling''. But then again I believed that

each time I took up a new hobby. In year 12 I took up badminton.

A few days ago I

asked the Church drummer for drumming lessons, he's a busy guy and well wanted

to make sure I'll take it seriously so he asked the question that we all get

asked at personal interviews "why do you want to ......" I guess you

can complete the sentence. And that's when it hits me ....''why do I want to

learn the drums?''

                  Some would think that having

tried out so many hobbies, I would've settled for one, I mean I was 16 and had

just finished secondary school. Nope! that was not the case in fact I begged my

parents in my first 3 months of gap year to enrol me in a Hip hop dance

academy, as you can imagine... they did not even listen to me, asking how that

would play a role in my plans to study medicine the following year, suggesting

instead that I learnt to speak German. Wunderschon! a part of me was glad about

it, even though I acted like I wasn't, another part wanted to add French to it.

lol. Seven months into gap year I tried to play a fast one and asked for a Lawn

Tennis training reason being Doctors needed some form of leisure.

Did I mention I

also took up braiding and dancing two summers ago, as well as ....... "ok

I get it, you have a thing for being active all the time'' the Church Drummer

Isaiah interrupts me, "I'll teach you, enough with the stories''.

Like Isaiah, and

I dare to say like you dear readers you wonder what goes on in the mind of a

person the world would tag with ‘’Borderline Personality Disorder’’ I prefer to

use the dictionary term which is ‘’Multipotentiality’’ I might be wrong I’m not

an expert, just a 19-year-old girl trying to make sense of her childhood and

the many desires it brought regarding hobbies.

                  The

Clergy processes into the church service as the organ is being played by none

other than…Micah. On getting here this morning I had fallen into one of those

flashback moments most likely aimed at making me regret some of the mistakes I

made in the past. But the thing with us ‘’Multipotentialists’’ (uuuu it’s

beginning to catch on) is we claim we regret not pursuing diligently just one

of the many hobbies we have taken up over the course of our lives, But I assure

you if we had a second chance at life's opportunities we would follow the exact

same pattern over and over again, maybe the only difference would be the order.

Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes....I thought to myself as I finally

understood.

EPILOGUE:  Did I mention I also…...nah

just kidding I hope...., I lay on my bed wandering what to do with myself after

the service is over, after in my own understanding, God’s big reveal to me

concerning my feeling of ‘’regret’’ due to my perceived lack of talent earlier on

in the service. I can only hope my relationships do not out turn out this

way cause that's the next thing I'll be channelling my energy to, asides trying

out new hobbies of course. ;-)

I may have ended up a ''Jack of all trades, master of none'' as the saying goes, I at least managed to land myself free drumming lessons without answering the dreaded question. Any ways I can’t wait to tell you how baking school goes!!

January 29, 2021 00:44

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