the musings of this nigerian gal

Few months ago, my roommate found the most atrocious insect God ever created in her hair. I am talking about lice.

There was only one way to get it. So she messaged me to ask if I had lice. I checked my hair, and viola, there were lice in my hair.

The question is not how did I get it, or how in God’s name did I not realize I had those disgusting things on my head. The question is what did my roommate do to me.

I suspect that if you were my roommate you would have torn me apart. Thank God for small favors.

After I replied yes, my roommate sent me a Vn. And that VN got to me. Made me wonder just what was wrong with me that lice would come and live in my hair and I will not even notice it.

P.S: I was on my way to write an exam when all these hullabaloo happened. To say I was discombobulated was an understatement.

I finished the exam and I escaped to my friend’s house. Yes, I didn’t sleep at home that night.

I felt so bad, I didn’t want to face my mistake and feel bad more than I was. Plus, I wasn’t sure what I would meet at home. My roommate had every right to be angry, I just didn’t want to face it. Righteous as it was.

So I made my jailbreak and ran for the hills.

But what I didn’t count on was the prison following me.

Now, it was my roommate who was wronged but her VN also hurt me. So, there I was, sad and hurt. The perfect environment for bitterness to fester and grow.

When I returned to the house the next day, I spent most of my time staring at my side of the wall and not talking. We both ignored each other. This went on for a week and more, I think.

Until one Sunday, the Lord decided to take my peace and said the only way to get it back was to talk about the elephant in the room. And I was like, “why me? Why couldn’t it be her? She would say her own part of the story and I’ll have to apologize. Why do I always have to be the one that apologize? I am hurt too.”

The Lord sha push me, push me. After church service, around six, seven-ish, I decided to talk about the elephant between us.

That was the first time I ever confronted a person about an elephant. It was so liberating.

After we hashed it all out — and yes, I did apologize 😂 — I remembered another big fight between a close friend and I. We never spoke about the elephant, and I was on the verge of giving up on the friendship until of course, the Holy Spirit lock me for neck.

Most times, when a fight happens between us and someone we love — because na the pesin we love, na e dey hurt us pass — we want to walk away. Burn all bridges in the name of peace of mind.

Well, I’m here to tell you that you might make your jailbreak but inside, you are still imprisoned.

Many times we have been told that forgiveness frees you first before it frees the offender.

Nobody is worth the tightening in your chest that comes when you see the person. Nobody is worth those ugly thoughts that springs up at the thought of the person. Nobody, absolutely nobody, is worth stealing your happiness even for just a second.

Make the true jailbreak today. A jailbreak from the prison of unforgiveness and bitterness.