You Are Great

                                                 

You are great, You are great, You are great. These words, grandpa will always speak anytime that we sat around the "bokyia" in the evenings to listen to stories. Before each story, he will tell me I am great. And after each story, he will say "Kay, you are great". I didn’t know why, but he never forgot to tell me I am great every evening when we gathered to share stories. It was an everyday routine. I never understood, besides I was only eight then. So much of a child to understand his words. Well, I became sort of further up and tired because definitely grandpa was going to say "You are great" each evening.  It no more became "anything" to me. It was normal now that I heard it every evening and never understood what I heard.

 It was a Saturday evening and grandpa and I have gathered around the fire for storytelling. And of course I was going to hear "You are great". But this time around, I was going to ask why? "Grandpa, why do you always say I am great?" I asked as grandpa and I walked towards the porch. Surprisingly, grandpa took away his hand that held mine; he took two steps backwards, smiled and looked me in the eye. In my mind, I laughed because I knew today was the day. Grandpa was finally going to tell me why I was great and why he kept repeating that so that it no more sounded a myth to me. Slowly he said," Kay, you are great". He said nothing more. I kept blaming myself because he rather got me more confused. That night I thought if grandpa didn’t know about my balky behaviour even at age eight.  I went out to play with Kuuku and Joojo even when mama asked me not to. I stole papa’s coins to buy "aleewa" even before telling him. I was mostly bribed with coins before attending Sunday school. I couldn’t talk well as Maama Esi did at age five. I didn’t have any talent but Kaafui could draw ''everything'' as young as five years. And still, grandpa thinks I’m great? In January 2014, I took my SAT exams. Even though I performed averagely well, I grieved because I couldn’t hit the mark. But a friend encouraged me. Even though not satisfied with my scores neither, she said:'' You are great, because you have the potential". In junior high school, my friends always said I was great. For a topic which was not well understood to the class, I could explain for everybody to understand and perform well in examinations. My little sister also says I am great. I am not anybody who draws perfect circles. I sinned no differently than other people. But anytime I lied, disobeyed, disappointed, I felt remorseful, asked for forgiveness and not repeat my mistakes. To her, I was a great mentor. In senior high school, my friends said I was great. I was humble in learning and selfless in teaching. I never gave up on anything. I cried, grieved and felt inferior at some points in life, but those times weren’t the end. I always stood up again and moved on. To them, I was great for my determination. Hearing these things each and every day, I couldn’t think of myself as anything than great. Now you who is reading, I just want you to know that YOU ARE GREAT!