4 days of no writing, I lost a relative

It's been 4 days since I wrote my last article here, and it's not been easy for me emotionally and psychologically to find the time to write something.

The reason why I can't write is very simple, I lost a close relative a few days ago and I am still in shock and I can't think straight or think about anything. The most important thing about the deceased person is that she died at a very young age (52yrs old) leaving 7 children behind for her husband who is my eldest brother.

The sister experienced a sudden health failure five days ago and was rushed to the hospital. But, she gave up the ghost a few minutes after arriving at the hospital. It's shocking for a person to die at such a young age especially when you consider that she was a woman of great support to her husband who is my brother.

My heart is saddened and hurt. I can't even describe what I am feeling right now.

As I sit here on my home couch, I keep wondering how short this life can be and that we cannot predict what the future holds for us. But, we have a God that is the Almighty, and even in times like this, He can be with us.

I learned that she sponsored a burial ceremony for her late aunt last month and play the child of the aunt during the ceremony. Just 2 weeks after the aunt's burial ceremony, her burial is what we are going through right now.

This is something mysterious and supernatural and it's impossible to understand the reason behind this death. But, what I can tell you is that we are still in pain, we are grieving and this will take a very long time before we can even think of coming out of this stage.

What a sad moment this is for me. I feel much for my brother who will have to take care of the 7 children alone. If taking care of children was difficult for two, how much more can it be for one person especially when he's a man who has to go to work all day long and come back home to take care of children?

Marrying another wife will be the best help he can get, but it won't be easy to find a woman who can love those children as her own. I am in great pain for my brother and I pray to God to comfort and sustain him in this trying time.

The laying to mother earth was done yesterday. To show how much she mean to my brother, he asked to bury the corpse in the compound of the house they built together instead of taking the corpse to her people according to tradition and culture.

This is the most demonstration of love I have seen from a man. Securing the right to bury the corpse of the wife wasn't an easy thing. Over a million naira in my country's currency was paid to her people as buying price for the dead body to have the right to bury it wherever he wants.

One thing I learned in this event is that in life we only have one thing to live for, and that's doing good to others. The only thing that remains after we're gone will be the good things that we did. So, for every step we take we have to do so with kindness and to the glory of God, because if not for Him we wouldn't have been alive and living on earth.

May her soul rest in peace.