Time of Death: Unknown

Ever wondered when you might die? Or in which manner you'd choose to go when the time eventually arrives?

I do and I often also wonder who would remember me or miss me when I'm gone. Not a lot I can say.

I know quite a few who have died, some very close and others even closer. The feeling is awful and I think its harder to bear if you were with them when they took that last breath. When you see the person's journey come to a complete halt! When they cease to be and you don't get anymore 'I love yous' or 'Be good' or even the 'How fars?'. For some, that's all it takes for them to recount their steps and take each day as though its embellished in precious diamonds. Treat each day like its a newly found treasure. Live with meaning.

Yesterday I heard the news about Da grins death and I started to weep. It felt like I'd never known anyone die. Like my best friend had just been taken away from me. Only he never was my friend. He was never even popular on my iPod. In fact at some point, I'd known his songs for a while, I just didn't know they were his. He was just another artist to me. Another Naija artist.

I got offered his CD by a friend in Nigeria and I declined it under the premise that I was only familiar with a few songs of his, some of which I didn't quite like. So taking the CD would quickly wear out his novelty with me.
Weeks later I heard my friends go crazy over 'Kondo' and I asked my aforementioned friend to send me the song via blackberry messenger. She refused saying I should have taken the CD when she offered. We both laughed it off but I still didn't get the song.

Months later, last week, I was out with friends. The DJ dropped kondo and the crowd went mad. Literally. Some stood on the sofas and started to jump like a child would do on his father's kingsize bed. Then I found out Da grin was supposed to be at a concert here in the Uk. I smiled. Nice one I thought. I spoke to my cousin who's part of the organisers of the concert and asked about the concert. His words: 'that concert is going to be mad whether enemies like it or not'. I asked what do enemies want with your event? He said didn't you hear Da Grin had an accident. I responded that I'd actually seen it on some BBM statuses and gone to read a story online about it. The source in the story had said 'he's lucky. He should thank God for his life'. The concert is slotted for the 31st of may'. I said to my cousin, 'Not to worry, he has a month to recover, he'll be here'.

God had other plans.

I saw the first status message and then the 2nd and then I started to weep.I hoped it was an expensive joke. A joke I was willing to accept and not complain about whoever had started it, just so he'd be alive. He had to be. But he wasn't.

I think about death and I think about everything in life. It all ends one day.
Now I don't make plans. I can't. Each day is a new one. Its a fresh start. That way, I don't lose too much when I go. Actually I don't lose anything.

its just a number

Is it?

Age I mean? Is it just a number?

Apparently, a rule in relationships, that goes without saying is ' the man having to be older than the woman'

Now I'm asking why?

Why does it have to be so? Is it because women feel a lot more secure when he's older or....? Sorry, I've got nothing.

Apparently, another rule again, that usually gets bent is that women shouldn't even go for their age mates, let alone one who's younger. This particularly applying to those women who have marriage next on their 'to do' list. Hence a guy who's ticks ALL the boxes isn't good enought because he's a few weeks younger.

I'm still not sure where these rules come from but I can safely say its the African or maybe just Nigerian mentality. We have decided to live by the supposed study that posits that men are seemingly 5years younger than women their age. How true that is, I don't know. Even if, its a study, have we confirmed what the sample size is? If its a bunch of teenagers, I'd gladly accept the inferences of that study without blinking. But does this mean that all women stay 5years ahead or the gap starts to reduce at a certain age where a balance is achieved? Not to say that the woman has reached a halt on whatever its it that gets her ahead, but that the man is catching up ie we are fast, they are slow but we all get there in the end.
It all looks like brain fart right, but I think I need to find that study, so my arguments can be a little more coherent.

Anyway, back to my point. Another reason why this rule may stand is possibly (once again applying to those in marriage age) because she's ready and he isn't. Now that may be true for a fact, well mentally that is. But I'm not sure a lot are thinking its a mental state, rather for most, its a physical thing or just because his social status hasn't really peaked. Which is it? I'm not sure, because outside of our mentality, its ok for Mariah Carey to dote over someone who's no less than 10years younger than she is, same going for Demi Moore. However, these women are heading to their forties, if not in it already. But if she were 25 and he, 15, would it still have been ok then? For me, either way, the 10year gap still applies, whether twenties or forties

So what's wrong in going for a year younger? Or let's raise the stakes to 2years and not trying to go for 10 like the Demis and Careys do. Anything wrong with it?

I asked a friend once if she would date a younger person and her response was ''NEVER''. I asked another and she rolled her eyes like it would go out of fashion and then said, or rather asked, ''Are you stupid?''

But really, Am I?