Blog - November 22, 2021

Day 22: The November Happiness Challenge 2021

Different songs come with different memories sometimes.

When I was young, we listened to a lot of Muslim songs in my house. You know all those Yoruba Waka songs? Yes, those. My parents bought a ton of them; they were cassettes and we enjoyed blasting them at any given opportunity. Needless to say that all the lyrics were familiar to us and it was calm because they were prayers anyway.

I remember a particular song where a popular musician preached about being good to one parents and how parents need to also know that they are responsible for many things in their children’s lives because they will give account for it when they die. A relative who was way older, was living with us at the time, so when the song got to that part, she asked me a question about how she doesn’t think parents should be punished for their children’s decisions after a certain age, since one can just try. She asked if I felt the same way.

She was very much older than me, old enough to be my mother actually. And it was amazing that she thought me worthy of being asked such intelligent question; I answered with the naivety of a little child, and told her that yes they should be responsible since children should always listen to their parents. She laughed and said I had a point but she also felt parents should be given some excuses. It was a moment of genuine conversation between two people of different generations.

This conversation happened over twenty years ago, but anytime I hear this particular song, I always always remember the relative, and how we shared such wonderful conversations. Safe fo say that the song gives me beautiful memories.

I have some other songs with related memories; albeit not always pleasant ones. But they remind me of certain periods of my life and I can’t help but smile when I listen to them. Songs are that powerful. I like music, so you’d see me listening to it whenever I’m engaged with a chore, or I’m just bored. I even listen to music while reading and it doesn’t affect assimilation ; a feat I’ve heard is unique and only for great people like me. Haha.

A friend recently said that she dreamt of me releasing a Yoruba Waka song and I laughed so hard. It was funnier when she said she even saw the poster in the dream and I wore a veil while raising my hands to the sky. Typical Yoruba musician style. Haha; too funny. It made me remember all the ones I listen to.

Today, I want us to remember a particular song that is attached to a pleasant memory for us and listen to it. It’s night already so perfect time to listen to that song with your earphones plugged if you aren’t alone. All songs are on YouTube, so search and listen, and allow yourself to radiate in the beauty of that memory you haven’t allowed yourself to remember in a while. If you don’t have any song that falls in this category, I’d recommend that you listen to Happy memories by Brymo; very beautiful song.

Hi. Look at me at a very different point in my life. This picture, like songs, also brings me memories

I’ll be back. OBA