You may open your eyes now. You have arrived at your destination. Captain God-In-You would like to welcome you to YOUR BREAKTHROUGH. There were a few zones of turbulence but you made it safe and sound. The current temperature is just right, and the local time is… NOW. Safe travels to YOUR DESTINY and may you enjoy your stay at YOUR PURPOSE.
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Before you exit, I would like to share with you a recent BREAKTHROUGH experience, which occurred on January 20, 2018—starting from preparation to the presentation of Sweep it Out. It was spoken out loud for the first time at the amazing Empowerment Palace’s 2018 Women’s Taking Flight Summit.
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Sweep it Out was inspired by my grandmother, my father’s mother. She stood at about 5 feet but even in her upper age you could still see her strength, from her tiny size of 4 ½ feet to her white teeth.
Cecilia Orji
She would sweep the entire house bending over for long periods of time—no complaints. She mopped the entire kitchen floor on her knees with a rag—no problem. One thing I remember is the way she fixed her lips when she was focused on something. When she inhaled and exhaled she took the air in and let it out by fixing her lips in a round shape as if she was whistling—and you knew she was in the zone.
You see, I have an old soul and I’m always interested to know how the older generation would think in certain situations. I ask my father questions about my grandparents because I believe that the wisdom the older generation carries with them is something that needs to be recycled into our future generation.
Mazi Michael Oguagu Orji
I believe it’s the duty of the living to capture the wisdom of the ancestors in some shape or form, to nurture it and provide it to the world. Many of us are at war with ourselves because we are missing those values that existed years ago.
The picture above was captured not too long before my grandfather passed back in 2014. As stated on Instagram, I never thought I would see such grandiosity of beauty, strength, wisdom, love, and pain simultaneously, until that very moment.
I like to take bits and pieces from the stories my parents tell me about my elders and create my own story, then turn it into a conversation. The conversation is a form of meditation for me. I hear the voice how it would sound. In my grandmother’s case below, it was with a heavy but yet soft sounding Nigerian accent. I would then write about the experience and turn that writing into poem format. I know it sounds weird, but this is how I create. In my honest opinion, as long as you’re not harming anyone in any way, then there is no wrong or right way to create.
When I closed my eyes and found myself talking to my grandmother, contemplating about what I should speak about in my spoken word at the 2018 Empowerment Palace Women’s Summit, the conversation went something like this…
Grandma (Nigerian accent in full effect): Linda, my granddaughter. The one who was created for this purpose is asking me what to say. I am not the one you need to confirm with. It is God. Ehh? But because you came to me I will answer. You know, in our culture, we don’t like to bring things out, like the story you have. It is not something we do, but you must lead the way, because there are many many other women—not just in our culture but in many others—who have accepted such abuse as part of their life.
When I was small, my mother made me sweep the house. I asked mama why am I sweeping dirt when the ground is made of dirt already. I didn’t understand then but when I became a woman I understood she was teaching me the importance of keeping your house clean. Not just the house where you live, the house where your spirit and mind live. We must always sweep out every day because each day something new comes in. Some people don’t dust and you see the piles of dust well… well, when the sun shines. People are good at covering things up and making it look good but when the sun shines, God will show you truth. There will be women sitting in front of you who need to hear your voice. Let your sun shine so they may see well- well. There is an Igbo proverb that says: Kpachara anya gi. It means to wipe away the dirt from eye or to ‘be mindful.’ Open your eyes and foresee. Linda, it is time…
Soul Survivor Writer:
Yes! It’s time to talk.
About the dirt that soiled my soul, sharpened my tears, and halved my whole
Body—coated with mud, from adolescent years into adulthood.
Confused and misjudged.
Mentally and spiritually confined to memories of being molested by my own bloodline.
Beginning at the mere age of nine.
Disgusted by the pounds of litter that came with every jitter.
When I heard his voice it sent a quiver, cold and bitter!
I asked, Why God? How could you consider to not reconsider?
You knew his intentions for me when I was alone in my own father’s home,
Jersey City, Woodlawn Avenue, no one knew…
To be continued at a women’s event near you! See you there! And once again, enjoy your stay at YOUR PURPOSE!
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Unique, original, mind puzzling, backwards poetry book by me Coming Soon!