All the writers; all their topics: 31 days of precious 2013 moments!

You know how this idea for the #31days31writers project started? To start with I know YNaija’s done something like that in 2012, I think I wrote for that sef. I did! It was an article on babes beefing each other for no reason, and you won’t believe the gender that bashed me the most on that piece? Lol!

For this one though, I saw someone tweet in November (I swear I don’t remember their handle and I’m on a Twitter fast so I can’t go look) but he was talking about it and I thought, this might be cool for the end of the year. I didn’t act on it though till the 26th of November, and then I gave all my writers till the 28th to hand in their pieces. With benefit of hindsight, it must have a freaked a number of them out!

Anyway, so I must have asked 40 people, and out of those I got 30. And I am more than grateful that they took the time to squeeze their 2013 into 600 words, and send in the lovely pictures they did. From castration for sex offenders, to faith in the Lord, rebuilt confidence, loyalty from friends, second chances, to resolutions for the new year, homosexuality and homophobia, 2013 was different for every one of my writers, and I am so proud of them!!

Did you miss any of the articles? Well, you’re welcome, I’ve listed all of them below!

1. DAY 1: The first in the ‘a post a day’ series – Chude Jideonwo
2. “I learned that I matter” – Francine! #31days31writers
3. “I have learnt pain is a part of the process” – Emeka #31days31writers
4. “I use writing as a tool to make a difference” – Chijioke #31days31writers
5. “No more Mr Nice Guy” – Mr Mobility! #31days 31 writers
6. “I’m thankful for stability” – Saratu #31days 31writers
7. “I would shut up and let her do her mothering” – Vickie Remoe #31days31writers
8. “The internet lives” – Pa Ikhide starts the second week of my #31days31writers project!
9. “I am gradually learning to love the silence” – Dosh Mabonga! #31days31writers
10. “I have learnt that dreams can actually come true” – Bisi Alimi #31days31writers
11. “I learnt to let go and forgive” – Onaedo!! #31days31writers
12. “I have learnt that light always comes at dawn” – Alkayy!! #31days31writers
13. “Who says black men shouldn’t cry?” – My girl Francesca Uriri! #31days31writers
14. “Our human species have truly trashed the planet” – Jeremy!! #31Days31Writers
15. “2013: Of numbers, expectations and unspoken promises” – Dami #31Days31Writers
16. “I won the lottery!!” – Tolu #31days31writers
17. “I’ve learnt to let go and let God” – the delectable Nike Coker! #31Days31Writers
18. “People change and so do you” – Ewoma gives us home truths! #31days31writers
19. “Castration as an act of mercy” – My girl Zima goes hard! #31days31writers
20. “I learnt a lot about public engagement as a public servant” – Ohimai!! #31Days31Writers
21. “I live and breathe food” – Nky Iweka #31days31writers
22. “I have so much to be grateful for!” – Mac-Jordan #31Days31Writers
23. “I’m glad that I followed my intuition and took risks” – Chris!! #31Days31Writers
24. “This year taught me to represent” – Eziaha (The Fab Sister) is up today! #31days31writers
25. “Loyalty makes a friend family” – Nonso’s up for our Christmas special! #31days31writers
26. “I have come to love and accept myself” – my bestie is up! #31days31writers
27. “I don’t even remember my resolutions for 2013″ – Andy Madaki on #31days31writers
28. “I have learnt that homosexuality exists in 450 species” – Okechukwu is a shining star on #31days31writers today!
29. “I understood faith as a lifestyle this year” – Lizzie
30. “Your friend is your need answered” – a surprise appearance on the #31days31writers project!
31. “Thank you for being part of my 2013″ – Guess who? Me!!!

Thank you guys for honoring me and my blog. Best wishes for the new year!

Love, light, and God’s many blessings!

Mwah!

“I am gradually learning to love the silence” – Dosh Mabonga! #31days31writers

First time we met, I don’t remember if I was just jealous she was skinny (with a happy appetite) or if I was thrilled to make a new friend. After spending a few days on her blog, a depth to her was opened to me, and she’s been one of my favorite people ever since!

Say hello to Dosh!

Silence

My name is Elizabeth “Dosh” Mabonga and I am Ugandan, Nigerian and American. Biologically, I am only two of these and legally, I am also just two but together, they have contributed to making me who I am so I claim all three without shame or favor. My church owns a school and I work at the Early Education Center, teaching school aged children in the after-school program. I am also a graduate student hoping to earn my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling by the end of next year.

The biggest lesson I learnt (and I am still learning) this year is silence. My filters don’t work right but life has taught me to shut my big mouth and let some things be. Not every opinion needs to be heard, not every emotion needs to be expressed and not every err needs to be pointed out. I am gradually learning to love the silence and discover the secrets to it; how to smile with just my heart, hurt passively, go around like a ninja… unseen and unheard.

The thing I am most grateful for this year is that I got to go home, to Nigeria. My mother is so technologically handicapped that she refuses to get a smart smart-phone or learn how to turn on a computer so I only get to see her on the rare occasion that she dedicates 30 minutes to taking and texting me a picture. Concrete mumu that my genes are, they decided to inherit some of this disorder. On a brighter note, going home meant I got to spend time with her, get breakfast in bed, eat pounded yam nine times in less than two weeks and have someone fuss over me round the clock. Priceless!

I read somewhere that “people take care of those they love and those who love in return are willing to accept that caretaking”. If I could do one thing differently this year, it would be to open my eyes to the depth of my relationships. I took some friends for granted and placed those who couldn’t care less about me on a pedestal. When people love you, they love all of you, tolerate your dark side and call you out on your foolishness. Unfortunately, it took a whole and three-quarters of foolishness to for me to realize this. Most of all, I hurt some of my favorite people in the world by not sharing my problems with them. I don’t think I understood how possible this was till they confronted me about it and counted instances in the past when I didn’t let them in. I grew up as an only child and learnt long ago to depend on just myself, my mother and my God so opening up and confiding in best friends/romantic partners is new territory.

In the end, I feel like a 5-year old who is learning the appropriate times to speak up and when to remain silent. In speaking up, I am learning that it is alright to seek comfort from the people who love me but not to yarn my church mind ever so often. In hushing up, I am rediscovering the secrets to silence, and the quiet is deafening.

http://doshix.blogspot.com