The anonymous orphan’s story

This was a message from a person I have met once in my life. It was a day like every other day. An afternoon, while the sun was about to go down, I wanted to observe the beauty of mother nature, so I decided to go to the beach by myself. I was wandering on the border of the sea , enjoying the fresh air, and observing the place. Suddenly, my eyes caught a beautiful young woman. Her skin was glowing due to the sunshine that was hitting her melanin. She was their to complete the mother nature’s beauty. People couldn’t help gazing at her, but she looked unhappy. As a result, I decided to approach her and make her smile a little bit. Once I was beside her, I said with a big smile:

-me : “Hello....”

She didn’t answer

-me: “Hey African Queen”

She seemed like she was lost into her thoughts, but this time she answered and apologized for not hearing me.

I Said: “ It’s okay , but what is not okay is the sadness that your face is expressing to this beautiful nature. Is everything okay?”

- young woman with a big smile on her face: “ Yes, don’t worry. I am perfectly fine.”

I didn’t insist since my purpose was not to be nosy but to help her out, so I sat beside her and made her laugh a little bit. I talked to her about the beauty of life, and suprisingly she started showing her beautiful white teeth to the nature.

After a little silence, she started to tell me why she was sad, but I cut her off and told her that she don’t have to say anything to me. However, she was okay with it, so as a perfect stranger I took the time to listen quietly.

- Young woman:“I live by myself in London as a African woman from Benin. I fully take care of myself without support on someone else’s land. To be honest, I feel like an orphan even though my parents are still alive . My dad is the most complicated human being I know. For no reason, he stopped communicating with me . I always call him, but he doesn’t answer, and when I text him, he just views it. He is in a good relationship with one of his older son and his two younger kids. I would love to be with a dad who would support me and be by my side. If I died today,he would not care at all. Right now, I feel like I have on my shoulders the results of my parents divorces .

My mother loves me, and she is a religious person, but I cannot talk about any of my problems with her because she takes things in another level .Moreover, she is mentally unstable. She went through a lot when she was young. When I try to talk to her , she either interprets it wrong, or she thinks about the situation and says that I am lying. Sometimes she creates huge problems in the family or with the person I have problem with, so I prefer to keep it for my self.

My brother , the one I was living with in Benin, is the closest person in my family,we can joke around and everything a, but I cannot talk to him because no matter what I say, I will always be wrong.

The brother who is in good relationship with my dad is acting like he is in a competition. He snitches on his siblings to have a good relationship with my father.

Most of the friends I have are great. Others are fake. They mostly try to put me down when I try to do good since I am a very sweet person.

I don’t know what did I do wrong!!!!

I don’t know what s wrong with me!!!

I left Benin to London after I had my High school diplomas on science. I lived in my mother’s little sister’s house . She told me that we are the same generation we can talk about everything.

The first time I talk to her about me, she didn’t hesitate to snitch on me to Benin.

My aunt’s husband don’t like my father, and he is in a bad relationship with my mother. He cursed at them front of me , and he asks for respect at same time .

I feel so lonely,and I try not to give up, but sometimes I cannot .

😢😭

I lived with my aunt for a year, and I left to live by myself.

My mother still don’t believe that I live on my own. I told her, but she thinks that I am lying. No matter her differences with my aunt, she thinks that she would never let me go.

With all this situation, I feel like I am going to die so early because I am hurt to feel unsupported by the family that God, the Almighty, chose for me.”

I was speechless, but I had to find a way to make her feel good. I had to help her stand back up. I could relate because I am originated from West Africa, Senegal, and we almost have the same culture. African parents are not easy to deal with, and to do so you better be very strong . After a little silence, I start talking.

-me: “ I am sorry that you are living such a hard situation, and I can relate . I am originally from Senegal, but I was born in the US. I came in London to visit. The first thing, I am gonna tell you is not to blame yourself for your family’s doing. It’s being harsh with yourself. Perhaps, you are living a hard moment but don’t waste your time tryna regret or fix what you can’t fix. They might be part of your family. The people that God chose for your life, but they are also the people who shaped you through this hard situation voluntarily or involuntarily. You are stronger than you could imagine. It is time to stop thinking about the past , enjoy the present, and plan your future. You know the only solution of all the problem is success. If you work hard and let them be who they are , after you win your life, they will become who you want them to become.

Keep on working !!!!

Take care of yourself!!!!

Write your story!!!!

You are the master of you life!!!!

Don’t let a negative energy mess your story up!!!!!

It doesn’t matter what they expect from you or what they think about you. What matter is what you expect from yourself and what you think about yourself. Loving yourself doesn’t mean being selfish. It’s a necessity because nobody else will do it better than you. Now get back up. Raise your thin up . You don’t have nothing to lose. Build your future now because the time is not waiting for you to think about your past.”

She was smiling. She felt relief and decisive. I proposed her to walk a little bit with me beside the sea. A few minutes later, I received a phone call from my boyfriend, so I told her that I have to go, and it was very nice to talk to her. It was first and the last time I saw her.