My COVID-19 Experience
Introduction
Welcome back, my good friend. I have taken some time to reflect on death. It is deep. The months of March and April in the year 2020, the year of our Lord, were trying moments for me; I thought I was going to leave this world for good. Thank God I’m here to share my experience with you. I was listening to Swegbe by Fela Anikulapo Kuti at the time of starting this piece.
Pre-COVID-19
I was running three job roles: two tutorings and one research role in the wake of the COVID-19 in Nigeria around February through April 2020. Just before the Nigerian government announced the COVID-19 lockdowns, I exhibited symptoms like those of COVID-19: cough and difficulty breathing. My home lesson student heightened my fears between March 16 to 20, 2020 when he said he was experiencing similar symptoms. I was scared. I shook within. I held my calm and acted in ways I’ll be sharing next.
In the COVID-19
I reached out to a brother and explained my situation. He advised me to be calm and seek medical advice. The medical personnel prescribed medication to relieve my airways. Worship in Churches had been staggered, reducing the population of people in a Mass to only one-third of the usual. I was so afraid that I went to Church to render my last prayers before departing. I can’t recall the exact date of the Mass because, at that time, dates or times did not matter to me anymore. Nothing mattered. I tried to hold onto something solid that I could tell my Maker, but nothing. I was not a passionate believer in Mary, but I turned to her for a moment to help. I was all over the place within, but I never showed it.
Post COVID-19
After a few weeks, I recovered. I did not know how to feel. I observed that all my irritations had simmered down. I used to pick offence easily, but I realized nothing of that sort was worth it when faced with death. I realized that the Church is important, because, she is always there, at inception and at departure. Family is also there.
Death
Try not to wait until you are old before this subject comes up in your mind, else, you may be like me during the COVID-19, all over the place. Death is certain. Many have been guided about the possibility of an after-life. Whether you believe it or not, you want to lead a good life here so that you leave a positive memory behind and perhaps stand a chance of making heaven or paradise.
Lessons
The COVID-19 shut everyone in, tightly together. I think that was a message from God that we all need to feel each other’s pulses more closely. To listen to human needs around us and respond more intentionally. However, I noticed a lot of things I was doing were purely noise. Noise in the context of their irrelevance to the things that should matter. I am now on a life-long journey of doing what should matter. I pray I am guided this time by God. I am also working on reducing the noise. We all should. No music was playing at the time I ended this piece.
Peace😇
