Defying The Rules
There is an interesting workplace culture in Ghana. Everyone and their sister has a work husband or work wife!
There is an interesting workplace culture in Ghana. Everyone and their sister has a work husband or work wife!
“Oh, and keep in mind that here, the client is always right. No matter what! Our customer service is top priority, and so you need to learn how to work it out. Don’t worry, it’s one of the first things anyone learns here.”
Did it make any sense that even though I graduated with honors I was still struggling to find work? And what if the art business was not enough to sustain me as an individual? Had I been myopic in choosing art over a stable trade that would at least earn me money? Would I be better off just starting my own art business? And what kind of art business was it going to be in the first place?
And what’s interesting is that many many people are going through very dark things but are walking the streets as if everything was okay. And it’s a lot worse for men. They have all these social expectations, and breaking down is hardly one of them.”
Mama laughed when I told her I was going to therapy. Kuuku asked why. Kojo just shrugged. I wonder what Ol’man would have said. In that moment, I missed him so much, I felt actual physical pain in my chest!
My world of beautiful vibrant color was suddenly a big drab black and white, and I didn’t know how to fix it!
I can’t do it anymore. I cannot be strong enough for me and for her. And if fear she can’t do it either! Is there a widow’s advocate somewhere out there? Help us!
They say grief comes in waves. Mine didn’t. It only poured. It was drowning me, and I could not swim!
I think what was worse than the fact that he was sick, was knowing that he was alone. Ol’man didn’t know how to be alone. If you’ve ever been taken care of by a Fante woman for over forty years of life, you won’t know how to be alone.
But Ol’man told me, “Do whatever it is that will make you happy. Because when everyone else goes to bed at night, you’re the one who will have the conversations in your head. Only you. And if you cannot be happy on your own in your head, you will not be happy anywhere else!”