HOW MY COMMUNITY INFLUENCED ME POSITIVELY.

Our communities can impact and influence us in so many ways, our community plays a major role in designing our lifestyle, beliefs, tradition, norms and behaviors.
After our families, the community is also a small unit of the society, how the community is shaped and structured has a great impact on the society as large.

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Growing up in my community, I learnt to always visit friends with gift and also attend an occasion bearing a gift, be it a wedding, burial, or a dedication.

When I was a child, I always wondered why each time there's an occasion or celebration in my community, every woman comes with a large quantity of garri (cassava flakes) and a reasonable amount of our native food Abacha (shredded cassava) to visit the family celebrating . Some will also come with palm oil .
At the end of the day, you will have bags full of these items .
Then there would be a tray where the men will drop money, no matter how little for support.

Each time they bring the items to the compound, they bring it singing and dancing, the family that's being visited will keep a bigger bag where each individual pour their portion, sings, welcome the family member and visitors . Then go to the kitchen to assist the family to prepare food and the environment for the occasion.
For the men they put their money in a tray and sit by the side drinking palm wine
Each man that visits, puts a certain amount on the tray.
This is usually done a day to the occasion.

This contribution isn't compulsory, but over the years it keeps happening, I witnessed it as a child and now I join my mom to do this too . It's an undying tradition and it's a tradition that I have developed so much love watching and doing.

As an adult, I practice this tradition always, it's now an habit.
I would always visit my friends with drinks and snacks back in university and they keep wondering why I always visit with edible items, but this is a culture I learnt from childhood, and they will always reciprocate.
My community taught me to be a giver , even when I barely have to eat.

If I don't have enough money to gift at an occasion, I rather stay back home, because to me it's extremely shameful to go for an occasion or visitation without gifting, although I have heard people said it's the heart that matters, but I don't believe that, I believe in gifting so much.

This is a beautiful tradition and it's taught me an important value, which is to always give, especially when you have enough.
Don't always attend other peoples occasion to eat from them, but give them too .
This is an attitude that have blessed me so many times,the little kindness you show to people really matters, it's important to practice the habit of giving at all time.
And this tradition promotes unity among my community members.

This is how my community have impacted my life positively from childhood and till date and I'm forever grateful to have learnt it .

Thanks for reading ♥️.

Vanilla 💗