From grass to grace

Everyone is born as a shining star; it's your choice to bring out the star in you and make it shine for the world to see. Many of the people we see as stars in our world today went through different hard times before becoming who they are today. The only thing that distinguished them from others was that they didn't give up along the way. If they had given up, I'm sure no one would want to be like them.

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This prompt made me remember my father's and his siblings's stories. Growing up was a tug of war for them all; it wasn't a smooth journey at all. Their mother, who is my grandma, played a major and unforgettable role in their lives, and that shaped their future and brought out the star in each of them.

Anytime I visit my grandma, I always try to ask her different questions on her journey to motherhood, just to learn and broaden my horizons about life. I'm glad I can do this now that she is alive. It is always a memorable time with her, with so much to learn. On one of my visits to my hometown last year, I decided to ask her how my father and his siblings's journey into life was, and she gave me all I needed to know, part of what made every one of them a star in their world today.

"Grandma, I'm here again to learn at your feet," I said jokingly one afternoon during my visit to my hometown.

"Naughty girl, am I Jesus? You want to learn at my feet," Grandma replied with a smile.

"You are my role model, so it's right if I learn from your feet," I said with a smile.

"Grandma, looking at my father and his siblings, who could have thought they would amount to who they are today," I said, looking at my grandmother, who was smiling.

"She felt fulfilled; I guess that's why she has been smiling since," I thought to myself.

"How many are they?" Grandma asked, looking at me as if she was expecting me to get it wrong.

"Haha, they are seven in number, of course, but to be sincere, Grandma, you tried. Giving birth to seven children isn't a joke; no one should try that in this century," I said, and we both laughed.

"God gave them to me; should I say I don't want them?" grandma asked.

"No, I like the way you accepted them all as a gift from God," I replied sarcastically.

"I was a petty trader while your grandpa was a farmer when I gave birth to the first and second children. Your grandpa wasn't cool with it because they are both females; he wanted a male child instead, so he didn't cater for these two girls. He didn't send them to school nor care about their feeding as well," grandma narrated.

"These olden days, men don't know the value of female children," I replied.

"I value education a lot because I'm illiterate. I don't want my children to be illiterate too, so I tried my best to put them both in an elementary school. I gave birth to the third child, and he is a male. Your grandpa was happy, and I expected him to change towards the male child, but nothing changed. He said there was no need for them to go to school, and that was not what I wanted for my children. I want them all to be educated," grandma continued.

"When he came of age, I also enrolled him in an elementary school, struggling to cater for the three of them. Amidst this, I gave birth to the fourth child, who happened to be a female. Your grandpa became cranky in the house, complaining about the female child," Grandma narrated.

"Grandpa is one soldier who never attended a military school or training," I said, laughing out loud.

"I enrolled her in elementary school also, and the last three children were males; that's the fifth, sixth, and seventh, who happened to be your father," grandma said.

"The baby of the house, no wonder my dad always wants to see his mother," I said, and we both laughed.

"After the first three graduated from elementary school, that was when I was able to enroll the last three so that they could use the books their elder sisters and brothers used. The first three are set to go to secondary school, but funds became a big challenge as there was no one to help. I took some menial jobs to support my petty trading just to send them to school," grandma continued.

"Fortunately, I was able to put the first two females in secondary school, asking the male to hold on till they were done so that he could use their shoes, bags, and books. Soon the fourth and fifth also graduated from elementary school, making three of them who were waiting to go to secondary school. It was a difficult journey, my dear"," Grandma said.

"It sure is, Grandma; I can't imagine how difficult things were then," I said pitifully.

"After the first two females graduated from secondary school, they started working to support me in sending their siblings too. At this time, the third, fourth, and fifth were enrolled in secondary school at the same time. When they were almost done, the sixth and seventh had graduated from elementary.

"At this time, both the first and second children were sponsoring themselves in higher education, and they were almost done. This made it a little bit easier for me," Grandma continued.

"Wow, what a journey and a life! Kudos, Grandma; you are a rare gem," I said with a smile.

"When the first two females were done with their school, fortunately, they both met the love of their lives, and they got married. And who could have known? The first took the sixth born, while the second took the last born, who is your father," grandma continued.

"Oh, I see. No wonder dad used to call Big Aunt Mom; that's cool," I said with a bright smile.

"When they were all growing up, we lived in a family house where your uncles and his wives lived, and what did you expect in that kind of setting? Everyone does make jest of me and my children, saying they can never amount to anything in life and that I was just laboring in vain"," Grandma lamented.

"We can never satisfy people; it's sure that they wouldn't expect anything good to come out of your children," I said.

"But as God would have it, today my children are stars in the family; nothing can be done without them present there, and that's because they have become great in life. What people expected was not what happened. Today I have nurses, a senior pharmacist, a pastor, a contractor, a school owner, and a businessman. Three of my children are overseas, and they are doing well. Who could have thought that stars would come out of a petty trader who was once struggling to pay her children's school fees?" Grandma said excitedly.

"They are indeed stars in their world; they are all well respected and doing well in life. Although the journey was rough, it ended well, and that is the joy of any mother," I said, hugging my grandma as I stepped out to join others who were playing in the compound.

Thanks for your time, and your comments would be appreciated.