LIFE IS HARD.

It’s easy to forget that life is hard when you’ve got everything working for you, or when you don’t have to worry about the basic things of life. For example, here in Nigeria the reason a lot of people tend to be spiritual and always praying and believing in God is because our government has failed to provide the basic things of life, these are things that are normal in developed countries. I have come to realize how hard life is since I started to fend for myself. This is why I can not afford to be out of cash, especially as a man because there is no one to help when I run out of cash. I have had to stay hungry for a week because I do not have money but that’s not even what makes life hard, when I think about it more, it’s hard because I am not just responsible for myself, but also for my family, and when people depend on you like that, you feel the pressure to always deliver.

For example, I have got bills to pay at home, and I am hungry, but there is no one I can tell how hungry I am, but if that was just the issue, it would be understandable, now my siblings are calling me that they are hungry too, now I can’t sit down and ignore them, and when I try to hustle and nothing seem to be forth coming, I am pressured with the thought of what I would go back home with, because these kids would not be able to understand that I did my best but everyday isn’t just a good day nor do day have the tolerance to bear hunger like I do. Knowing I have not eaten for that long, I still have to be concerned about my ulcer and pray the hunger doesn’t trigger it because I do not have the money for food, talkless of meds.

My partner is sick but we must rely on local pharmaceutical meds instead of going to the hospital to run tests and know the exact cause of her prolonged sickness. As a man, I’ve got to pull myself together and manage everything as they come because she needs to eat, and needs her meds, but she can’t eat well and the meds are expensive so she can’t get it all. But imagine a world where we could visit the hospital with health insurance. The only thing I have to worry about is feeding, but there are no jobs, so I have to hustle everyday to make ends meet. This is why I always say that if you don’t need to worry about what you will eat, and your health, you have every reason to be grateful because for those of us who have to worry, it is damn hard.

PHOTO CREDIT IS MINE