Almost the Last Post

Today I want to thank Juliette who brought the Slice of Life Challenge to our Community School in Accra. It is because of her that I was forced to record my stories on most days this month. Often, I wrote quietly typing by a small lamp by the front door trying my best not to wake anyone. Kojo is a light sleeper and senses when people are not where they are supposed to be. Lola loved the opportunity for quiet time to sit and purr on my lap soaking up the heat from the computer screen. Inevitably, Kojo would wake up at some point running down the hall with his eyes half closed and his hair standing in a mess in search of his missing mommy. The story would sit half-written until he had fallen back asleep. I would write the rest or revise what had already been written in my head while I sat watching him sleep again.

I am thankful to Juliette who has helped me find a place for my stories and has allowed me to pack up a piece of Ghana to take with me. Kojo, Kojo Daddy, Lola and I will be leaving this red-earthed, warm and fertile land in a few months. Kojo came here when he was three months old. He was serenaded by Celestine and Grace who sang to him in beautiful harmony the songs of their youth from the Volta region. He was fed milk that tasted of groundnut soup, pineapples and papaya. He was given the name Kojo because he was born on a Monday. Vovome rolls off his tongue easily.

We have countless photos of our time here in Accra. We’ve been carefully collecting them to show him when he’s older. Until this opportunity to write every day in March, I never realized how many moments cannot be captured in a simple snapshot added to a growing cameral roll. On March 30^th, I am content knowing that my walks with Kojo in Abelemkpe will live on. After all, Kunga would have never agreed to be photographed. You can’t hear the woody pods looking at a picture of a Monkey Thorn tree and Evon and Grace’s beauty lie in their movement not in a still image. The stories I have written are also self-portraits. I hope that when Kojo is old enough to read these he will see the beauty in both the story and the story-teller.

Thank you, Juliette, for challenging me to write everyday.  Thank you to Radutti, Tenkoranmaah, Kelsey Corter, Amanda Potts, Karpenglish, Edifiedlistener, Terrierol, Anita Ferreri, Pia Allende, Marina, Sylvia and the Slice of Life Community who stayed up late with me commenting thoughtfully on my posts and sharing the splendor that exists in other neighborhoods of the world. Thank you to Abbayayo, Ton Ton & Stryko for complaining when a new post was not waiting for them to enjoy with their morning coffee.

Finally, Kojo Daddy, thanks for lovingly renaming our sofa arm chair by the front door The Blog Chair.