(c) Creative Ofori

Sometimes I call her grandma. Other times I say old lady. She is blind in one eye and partially blind in the other. And her ears, you have to shout before she hears you. She distinguishes people based on their voices. The least chance she gets, she engages me in a conversation that will leave both of us laughing hard in the end.

Last week, she told me about the ladies of the town. She said “Never think of marrying any one of those girls roaming about in this town”. She called me a second time and told me the same thing. I thought, “Has she probably seen something in the spirit that I’ve not?” They say old women see things.

Three days ago, she told me she had a very beautiful granddaughter visiting her, maybe from Kumasi, I can’t really recall. She said, “I want you to live with her”. Ei, old lady paa. Is that how we live with people? I laughed so hard and called one of my co- tenets to come and witness what old lady was telling me.

Last Friday, I saw her in new natural braids. I told her she looked beautiful and she responded, “Yes o. I’m going to Kumasi to get a husband”.

-And then just last night, I stepped out in the night to use the washroom. In this side of town, I share the washroom with- well, that is for another day. I overheard Old Lady say some things on top of her voice- and then she sang. It appeared she was praying because I heard her mention God.

We woke up this morning and Old Lady is acting strange. Her conversations with the other tenets do not really make sense and she can’t find her way to any place; she can’t navigate her own room, the place she has been living for years. Her walking stick is almost useless. She says everything is black. Her bones are failing. She has become restless and complains often. Just overnight…

The rained poured this evening and the weather is cold, yet she insists she wants to sleep on the tiled floor and not on her bed. When her son tried to reason it out with her, she started crying and calling her dead mother and primary school teacher’s name. This afternoon she couldn’t even recognize my voice, her ‘bestie’ and it brought tears to my eyes.

I am here in my room thinking, “Is this the blessing of old age? Dementia, frail bones and the like? -And she is still making noises in her room.

Indeed, old age is a blessing, I don’t dispute that. Wait. Maybe there’s a greater blessing in leaving when your assignment is done. Just like Jesus, Peter, John the Apostle, John the Baptist, Paul and Abraham. Some died old. Some died young. The Lord was with them all. It’s up to us to live fully and be ready whenever The Master calls, even if He decides it’s today.

And o, Old Lady, I’ll continue to give her all the flowers I can afford, whiles she can still smell them.

Image credit- Stephen Ofori Amo