Chapter 3
I began to see the interconnectedness of all things, how every creature and plant was inextricably linked, each one relying on the others for survival.
As the seasons turned, I witnessed the ebb and flow of life on the farm.
I saw the first tender shoots emerge from the soil, reaching skyward with hopeful determination.
I watched as the plants grew and flowered, their vibrant colors painting the landscape.
And when the time came to harvest, I marveled at the abundance of the yield, the fruits of our labour.
But there were also challenges – droughts that strained the crops, pests that threatened to ravage the fields, and unexpected weather patterns that disrupted the delicate balance.
Grand-Mom met these obstacles with a calm resilience, drawing on her wealth of experience to guide us through.
"The land is a teacher," she would say, "if we are willing to listen and learn." And listen I did, soaking up every lesson, every insight, every nugget of wisdom she imparted.
Time passed, and as I grew older, my role on the farm evolved.
I took on more responsibility, learning to operate the machinery, to plant crop rotations, and to monitor the health of the soil.
Grand-Mom's guidance was ever-present, but slowly, I began to find my own rhythm, my own way of nurturing the land.
One day, as we were working side by side, Grand-Mom turned to me and said, "You know, child, this farm will one day be yours to tend."
I felt a surge of both excitement and trepidation. The weight of that responsibility was not lost on me, but I knew that I had been prepared.
Walking the memory lane, the lessons of a lifetime had equipped me for this moment. That memory of the gainful association and listening.
The power of listening and obedience to every instruction from the woman of substance.
On a lighter note, I was gobsmacked ab initio, when my parents told me to stay back to run errands for the age old grand mom.
Furious as I was,and grinning with disgust then, I never knew I could reap the gains in quantum.
The most annoying of my experiences was the day I was so beaten by bees on my left ear lob.
That Day I was invited by Uncle Enenche on farm tutelage.
That was hectic, and the sun was even angry at my presence on that farm.
My ear grew thrice in size, and I couldn't dare to face my peers in a circle of dance in the evening.
I stayed back at home subbing and lamenting. All that was In my mind was Acheme, my bosom friend, he would have laughed at me to stupors.
After all the memory dribbling, I sat myself down in my presence to evaluate all I could to better my lot.
From that day forward, I approached my work with a renewed sense of purpose.