DOWN THE TUNNEL

Hi Dear,

How’s your day so far?

I left home early this morning so that I could get to work on time. I was reading a new novel in the bus when her head banged on my shoulder. She woke up apologising, and tried cleaning off her brown powder which had already stained my shirt.

I smiled and reassured her it was Ok. She looked away shyly, leaving me with a stained shirt and ‘thoughts of the rat race’. I turned to pay my fare and noticed 3 more people behind me sleeping. I can’t blame them. It’s Monday.

I share the sentiment of the words inscribed on the old portrait of a monkey I saw once ‘I hate Mondays too’.

Anyways, we can’t kill ourselves. We have to move on. I have to move on believing it will only get better.

Here’s a poem I wrote ‘cos I believe in hope. Hope you like it (Sorry, it's kinda long)...

DOWN THE TUNNEL 

I walked down the hollow tunnel,
It was dark and had several bends

The air was warm and humid at the same time

Sticky shiny floor and moss filled wall. It was tiled.

I knew I wasn't alone.
The sounds. Yes. The footsteps.

I heard it resounding behind me,

Clicks of high heeled shoes and flops urging me on

Still some more shuffling, 300 feet ahead of me.
I walked 20 feet more and saw him slopped down.

He says he's been walking for 2 miles with no end in sight.
He said 'I should...' And then we heard the scream.

We heard it again.  ‘I reached it! I reached it!’ She said, her tiny voice echoing in the hollow tunnel.
 I felt several others standing up and moving on.

 I looked at him and he nodded, he would try,

Maybe not at my pace but he would try.

I continued down the tunnel,

Dancing at every bend,

Tired at every dark end.
And heard the whispers,

'It’s too far'

'It’s a lie'

 'Can’t go on'

'Are we there yet?'

The whispers, it became clearer as I got near.

I passed by them, The talkers,

Their tired eyes piercing my sore sole,

They scoffed and laugh. Someone said, 'I just returned from there, no end in sight'
I replied, ‘but I can hear voices rejoicing’.

Another replied, ‘it's just your imagination’.

And then, we heard it again.

'I can see the light'. We heard the relieved voice from yonder.

I made my byes and quickly hurried along.

Joining the throngs of people journeying down the tunnel.

We walked. Oh, we did, down the never ending tunnel
this is no Alice in wonderland. This is real.
My friend held my hand. Yes, I met a friend on the way.
She kept my mouth busy with sweet talk and I forgot how tiring this journey was.

Clicks of shoes. Shuffling of feet.

Voices. They danced in tune to our heartbeat.

Their hips swayed to every step we took.

And then 20 feet from us. 

We heard their laughter.

We smiled as the reflection of light shone on us.

We quickened our pace this time.

I remembered the man I met some 300,000 feet ago.

I remembered the tired minds and souls that could not go on.

I remembered the screams of excitement,

The ones that gave me hope in the darkness. In the shadow,

I saw my hand go up as I approached the light

and screamed in my loudest voice, ‘I can see the light’.

The famed light at the end of the tunnel...

‘This is a miracle...This is hope’...I mused

As I looked back at smiling faces

walking towards the glowing end like me...

-      

-  - BY  IJEOMA UNEGBU

Image source: bbc.co.uk

Is it nice? J

In this tunnel of life, there are challenges {Maybe, one of them is 'Monday :) }, but we have to keep forging ahead. Trust me, the light is ever shining at the end of the tunnel. Don’t give up. Don’t relent at what you do. ‘God dey’ I always say. Keep on keeping on.

Thank you for reading..Hugs....Have a blessed week...

PS: I think I love Mondays now...