A Tapestry of Connection

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It is impossible to exist in the world without being connected to people.
There are some people that exist as loners.
All alone on their own little world, not needing anyone but the truth is that, we cannot exist alone.
All living things are wired to communicate, to connect.

Over the past twenty one years, I've met a lot of people, formed a bond with some more than others. It's funny how I used to think that I could do it, survive on my own.
Perhaps the most ridiculous joke that I've ever told myself.

There have been a lot of people come and go but the most significant bond that I have formed is the one with her.
The first time I saw her was when she placed me in front of mirror trying to catch my smile.
"Clo, smile."
She placed me at the side of her hip urging me to smile, unfortunately I never did.

The next few years flew by in a jiffy and it those months, she held my hands helping me get back up when I fell. Right from the start, she had always been there to help me get back up.
The day finally came when I had to spread my wings and fly or in this case, ride a bike.

I ran to her with my bruised knees and the tears in my eyes.
"Mum", I cried hugging her, "I injured myself. I don't want to see that bicycle ever again."
She hugged me, patting me on my back, "It's only Clo. We will beat the bicycle up for injuring my baby."

The next day she took my hand but instead of beating the bicycle, she placed me on it and guided me. She never let me go until I learnt to ride by myself.
Of course I fell back down a number of times but I knew I had to get back up because she told me, "Never stop trying until you get it."

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More time went by and I sat in between her legs as she braided my hair for me.
"Mum, you won't believe what happened today at school."
I caught her smile in the mirror, "What happened today at school?"
"Olatunde's mother came to ask our class teacher why Olatunde came in second position."

She laughed, "And what did your teacher tell her?"
I shook my body with pride, gathering my invisibleagbada (a loose fitted clothing mostly worn by men), "She told her that Olatunde took second position because I took the first then Ola's mother now looked at me somehow. An innocent girl like me that was just writing her note o."

The hand that was making my hair stopped moving, "She looked at you somehow. Like how?"
I turned to her, "She did not look at me anyhow before you will go and hunt her down and destroy her like you wanted to destroy Aunty Helen because she refused to allow me write my test with my left hand."

The laughter came back to her eyes. She turned my head, "Put your head well before you will make me plait nonsense."
If there was one thing I was sure of, it was that she would always fight for me. Unlike the princesses in my stories, I didn't need a knight in shining armor, not when I had her by my side."

Then came my teenage years.
The period things changed. From telling her everything going on in my life while she braided my hair, I would frown glaring at her through the mirror because now, she never made my hair the way I wanted it.
"Claudia you better fix that face if you know what is good for you. I don't know why you'll want to make the type of hair that will be sweeping the ground like you don't have home training."

I frowned, grumbled and stomped my feet but I couldn't change it anything. She was still my mother and whatever she said goes.
Or as she liked to put it, "This is my husband's house. If you want to do what you like, go and marry your own husband."
And so those years encompassed the endless arguments.

More years passed and I started to see reason in everything she had ever said.
I went to school and I finally had the freedom to plait the kind of hair I wanted. A year later, I cut my hair.
I had the opportunity to take a break from school for six months during my internship and the bond was formed again, only stronger this time.
We would talk in low volumes, whispering and giggling like best friends.
We became best friends.

"Mum, you will not believe what I heard today." She smiled and I saw the emotions in her eyes. She had missed it, missed us and I didn't realize how much I had too.
Mothers and daughters were supposed to have this unbreakable bond, a forever connection. Something we both shared before I decided I wanted to be like the people I saw on the internet.

I would go to her room and just lie on her body while she read or watched a movie because no matter how old I am, I will never be ashamed to admit that I will always need my mother.
Two days ago when she visited me in school, we sat together in the kitchen and I simply just talked because she is always there to listen. She has always been there right from the beginning of time when I took my first breath on earth.

I have made a lot of friends but I will never be more connected to anyone than the woman that carried me in her womb for nine months and she will forever remain the person I share the greatest bond with.
For I started my journey interwoven in her and so will I end the journey.