18 Again: Aging Like Premium Wine

Look who made it to another chapter! What can I say? There’s no sob story this year. No melancholy. No near-depression. I feel free and liberated. The chains that held me bound fell off somewhere along the road leading to road 28. This might just be my shortest birthday entry.

If you see this, you have Tosin and Karunwi to thank for motivating me to get over my excitement and write a madafecking entry. Lol! I should have done this last night but was too excited to think. Even now, I don’t have enough words. This girl is just happy to be here.

I clock 18 for the second time in my life today. I feel free, young, alive, and happy. Can you believe it?! I’d been dreaming of this day, and here we are. Let me tell you, I am now a certified graduate. And right now, I’m somewhere in the East obeying Clarion Chukwura’s call. I’m lying on the floor of the room whose bare walls I finally painted yesterday, with my phone plugged into a cheap extension as I write this. The birthday girl needs to keep her phone charged, you know. Painting the room, which is temporarily mine, is one of my birthday gifts to myself. I grudgingly parted ways with the money to get the work done. Thankfully, my good friend gifted me some money to reduce my chest pain.

I’m 18 again but with 10 bonus years at the side. I’m sure my good aunties and big mummies are worried about my marital status. They suddenly realized I’m not the baby girl I sell myself as after my convocation, and became interested in my non-existent love life. I’ve probably become that old auntie they include in morning devotional prayers to find the bone of her bone and flesh of her flesh before she expires. It’s okay. It’s alright. This life na turn by turn. But no, on a serious note, I’m just 18. You find the idea obscene, too, right? I mean, my breasts are barely fully formed. 

I’ve also not started earning huge six figures. You won’t believe that at this my young age, I’m surviving on the 33k the government pays me and some 2-2k here and there. This was not the goal for this age, but baby steps.

I’ve not gotten any awards, rented or bought and furnished an apartment, have no car,  haven’t bagged my dream man or more degrees, haven’t gotten that big job, and currently live in a house in the village that made me shed tears and blood when I first saw it.  I can’t remember the last time I bought a luxurious item. This is certainly a far cry from what teenage Ekata painted for this age. But you know what? I’m up and grateful! (Kindly insert one of those up-and-grateful TikTok videos). Those things don’t even stress me because they aren’t out of reach. I can achieve all those things in the twinkle of an eye. It’s all timing. But this peace that I have, this beauty, this glow? They are not as easy to get, but I have them easily. And that’s the real flex. I mean, I can still afford to always have milk and buy my fruits and veggies. What more can a girl ask for? 

I’m still far from where I want to be, but I’ve had plenty of happy days. I’ve been at peace, the kind that makes people ask for my skincare routine. God has been very faithful, you know. He’s been holding my hands and has never let me go. Even when it felt like he did, he was right there, allowing me to trust the process. You know that song that says, “I’ve got joy in chaos, I’ve got peace that makes no sense”? That summarizes my life in the past year. On some days, I wish I could bottle some of the peace I feel and share with my friends.

Guess what! I looked forward to this birthday so much that my frugal self was willing to break her safe for a 3-5 day vacation (or is it staycation you call it?) somewhere in the South or East of Nigeria. The only reason that didn’t leave my planner is laziness. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it alone. It would have been achievable if I were in cities I’m familiar with. As I write, I’m tempted to buy this fine hair I’ve been looking away from. That’s how excited I am. I just want to pamper myself and give myself some good loving. Me sef don try! It’s just very unfortunate that the fun places I could go to in my current location are quite a distance. Again, I’m writing more than I started to. So let’s wrap it up.

On this birthday, I’m thankful for the life of ease and peace God has given me. I’m thankful for my beautiful-beautiful and supportive family. I’m thankful for supportive friends. I’m thankful for my current community in Ogbunike, which has given me so much love. I’m thankful for my physical beauty that took the 2024 theme, no gree for anybody, very seriously. I’m thankful for the chance God has given me to impact young girls (I pray for the grace to maximize it). I’m thankful for my razz, classless laughter. I’m thankful for Tosin, one of the most intentional friends the universe has blessed me with. Finally, I’m thankful for my beautiful future that patiently awaits me.

So, I’m raising my glass (actually, I don’t have a glass. I own just one ceramic cup that my parish priest at my PPA gave me to settle in when I just arrived here. But it still works for a toast, right?) to the good life. To ease. To peace. To love. To beauty.

Happy birthday to me, the apple of God and Akhere’s eyes—the untouchable, the one who carries a light that can blind evil eyes. Lol. Please, I need to drop this phone. This girl is giddy with happiness. 

Here’s a list of my birthday songs for 2024:

• Birthday– Ann-Marie
• Dependable God– Victor Thompson
• Goodness of God– Cece Winans

A special shout out to my special birthday mates: my late best friend, Ojorane, and my sistuurh, Jadesola.

PS: There’s no such thing as too much love, especially today. So, drown me in it. Tenks!