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REFLECTION
Betty Oku
Betty Oku
25 days ago

I had a chat with my friend few days ago and I told him I don’t like burials and that’s cause it makes me too emotional, he said he loves burials and I gave him the “what the heck?” look and he went further  to say “attending a burial gives you room to reflect”—and i’m like okay that makes sense.


In the space of three weeks I attended the burial of my aunt and uncle. Got into the grave yard and got chills all over, I saw one that really got me thinking. He died in his early twenties!! Just few days to his birthday. You know, no one is too young or too old to die—Which is why it amazes me when people go the extra mile to unalive someone for selfish gains. What’s the point? We are all going to end up in coffins anyways. My mum always says “when you die—none of your wealth or properties will be put into the grave with you”.


The day my uncle was buried, about eleven others were brought in, and this is no exaggeration. I kept asking “is there still space?” “Or do they just open up an old grave and put someone else in there?” Has to be so! I said to myself. While stepping on graves to walk down to where my uncle was going to be buried—I kept saying in my head “I’m sorry for stepping on you” yeah I know it’s silly. 

Oh well birthdays and weddings are the kind of celebrations I love—But yes! burials make you reflect and open your eyes to see that death is never part of your schedule. It’s not an activity you can cross off on your todo list.

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