“I use writing as a tool to make a difference” – Chijioke #31days31writers

We’re on our way to the 31st of December! So far we’ve had Chude, Francine, Emeka, and today we have a lovely lady who went to the same secondary school with me, Miss Chijioke Ogbogu!

M.A.D

My name is Chijioke Ogbogu and I’m Nigerian; I’m a Materials Engineer working with an Engineering firm. I use writing as a tool to Make A Difference.

I’ve had my fair share of practically everything this year; the laughter, joys, tears and all but in all of this I realised it’s really not about the destination rather the journey. I started the year with lots of plans, some were achieved and I’m grateful to God. I’ll share a few of the lessons I learnt through the journey of 2013.

I had planned on starting off a blog this year; this was borne out of a desire to share a few thoughts with anyone who came across it. Never did it cross my mind that I had a tool that goes beyond sharing thoughts. I did a post on a little baby, Kehinde who was born with Multiple Congenital Anomalies (MCA) who needed N2, 000,000.00 for a surgery in Nigeria but at the end of the day we were able to raise a whole lot that was able to foot his bills to India with his twin, mother and the lady helping them. I learnt the only limitations we truly experience are the ones we place on ourselves. I lost little Kenny a month after the surgery because of a minor stomach upset but it made me more resolute in using the tool of writing to impact my generation however little it is.

I was blessed with a baby brother this year and you’ll be wondering why it’s news, just hang in a little longer. I grew up with two younger sisters, although we would have wanted the presence of a brother but it never happened. Now here’s the interesting part in 2011 my mom gave birth to a boy who in the natural law of things shouldn’t be so, my last sister was seventeen then and my mom obviously isn’t a teenager either. While we were rejoicing over that, God and His huge sense of humour gave us another adorable brother. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it that I’ve two younger brothers in less than two years. I learnt we can’t put God in a straitjacket; He’s still in the habit of performing mind-blowing miracles, question is do you really believe?

A friend I trusted a whole lot broke that trust in 2012, although I said I had forgiven him but deep down I resented him. I was in a class with some youths and the topic was on forgiveness and I knew it was about time to release the hurt I felt. I had to make peace even though it meant me apologising. I apologised not because it was the easiest thing to do but it was the bravest. I have learnt using the word I AM SORRY doesn’t show weakness rather strength; we forgive those who wrong us because carrying unforgiveness is a huge load, the world already has lots of stress why add to it by carrying on with past wounds. Truth is we are not all perfect, we get to upset people too and funny thing is some of them may not even know you’re upset with them but beyond all these lessons we shoot ourselves in the foot when we say the Lord’s prayer “Lord forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us”

I’m looking forward to 2014, knowing it’s going to be a great year. See you on the other side!

Beautiful smile, beautiful heart! Thanks for writing in babe!

Related articles

• DAY 1: The first in the ‘a post a day’ series – Chude Jideonwo (fairygodsister.wordpress.com)