Hello 2015

Hello, Happy New Year.

The year started a bit slow and has been picking up momentum ever since. So sorry for my extended silence, I owe my faithful readers who have been checking up on me regularly even when I don’t post in a while. I promise to repent in 2015 *big grin*. With everyone becoming a life strategist, telling you how you should live your life and what to do about New Year resolutions, I decided to sit still and be quiet. I want to try envisioning the year and life from a different perspective. So here is what I came up with on Facebook just a few hours before the New Year about how I intend to take on 2015.

“It’s one thing to not have goals or plans for 2015; it's quite another to not have a vision for 2015. God wants us to have a vision for our lives. Having a vision gives us a drive, a sense of fulfillment and makes living a joy even when all situations around us look hopeless.

As we cross over to 2015, nothing really changes unless we choose to make things change. We are change agents and the drive that pushes us to desire the change that we eventually create is vision.

Don't live your life without a vision. Dream, dream big, trust God and watch your visions come to life. He said in Joel that the young men shall see visions. We are young. Don't just see things (goals, plans, achievement), have a vision. Speak things to life, use the creative power at work in you to create a picture of the future you want and keep hope alive. Have a vision.”

Pretty neat huh?

That’s my plan, to focus on my vision for 2015, the bigger picture, rather than the goals to get there. For me, focusing so hard on the goals for some years now has not yielded the results I need (especially when I fall short). So, while I’ve been silent, I’ve been reading Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe, Avonome by Xavier Ighorodje (comic) and Rich Dad Poor Dad’s practical take on Resolutions and how to accomplish them. I’ve also been mourning a dear relative whose death came as a shock to us all as we were unaware of any previous health issues (medicine calls such cases acute) and I’ve responded to an interview by chukzbooks – feel free to check it out.

So this is me signing out and saying welcome to a queer 2015 for Ann Esievoadje.

Movie review (Nollywood)

I can see all my Nollywood fans jumping for joy after pleading with me for so long to do this (Nigerian Movies’ Review). Unlike my skeptics, I do not intend to bash the millions of Nollywood home videos ever produced, I simply just want to tell of the few Nigerian films I have actually enjoyed or have left an indelible mark on me that I can never forget.

I’ve never been a fan of Nollywood Movies though I admit we do have some fantastic actors and actresses in the business whose names are enough to make me sit down for at least 30mins of whatever film they act that I stumble upon (because really I don’t go out of my way to watch Nollywood Movies), people such as Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva, Desmond Elliot, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Pete Edochi, Omoni Oboli, just to mention a few. I have even had the pleasure of organizing a photo session for Tontoh Dikeh back then when she was just starting out and parted away with a $100 gift from her. Lol.

All these to prove that I do respect the work of our Nigerian Movie Industry even though I’m among the few Nigerians who aren’t entrapped by tribalism, the glory days of culture before colonization or a definitive art form. I was raised in an environment of whites, exposed to western cultures at an early age and in turn, I have a wide appreciation from a variety of art forms. Well, enough about me, back to my review.

Nigeria is rated among the top three movie producing industries in the world within the likes of Bollywood and Hollywood in terms of quantity of movies churned out so it means we must be doing some things right. Here are a few impressionable movies I’ve encountered:

1. Last Flight to Abuja – ‘stroked’ by many for the heavy dependence on green screen effect (weak explosions and flying simulated scenes) and multiple flashbacks, I find this movie interesting. Its inspiration was drawn from the multiple aviation mishaps that had shocked the Nigerians into focusing on the need to improve our aviation sector (e.g. Sosoliso and Arik airline crashes as far back as 2007/2008). Directed in 2012 by award winning director Obi Emelonye (a Nigerian who studied Theatre arts and film in Nigeria before going to the UK where he studied and practiced Law then ventured back into film making in 2008; who also became one of the few Nigerians whose film (Mirror Boy) was a critical and commercial success as well as one of the few to be seen in a film festival outside Nigeria), starred the likes of Hakeem Kae-Kazim, a Nigerian born who has made great strides in Hollywood and is best known for his roles in the movie Hotel Rwanda and the Jack Bauer series, 24. The film had good casting; believable dialogue, meaningful scenes which made the film feel rich and I must say it was full of ingenuity. Kudos.

2. Ije (the journey) – from the minute I saw the preview of this movie starring Nigerian’s top 2 actresses (Genevieve and Omotola) I knew I would love this film because my curiosity was stirred. Released in 2010, this film won Best Editing at Treasure Coast International Film Festival and Best International Student film at Swansea Bay film festival in Wales, that same year. It wasn’t edited by Nigerians but it was directed, co-written and co-produced by Chineze Anyaene (a Nigerian) and had one other Nigerian actor in it (Clem Ohameze) alongside many foreign actors. Most of the scenes were shot in America but for me the movie stood out because of the social issues it subtly dealt with (the pitfalls desperate Nigerian girls fall into when in Diaspora) without being preachy. Staged around a murder trial and the justice system as it affects Africans in other countries, I found the beginning a bit boring because the narrator sounded like someone reading a script rather than someone facing the camera to tell a story. Yet I found the balance between the romance and actual criminal case to be quite refreshing. Well done.

3. Figurine (Araromire) – I have a weakness for the supernatural and when someone recommended I watch this film, I had no idea this film was about that and that Nigeria could pull of the storyline as well as they did. But why wouldn’t they when they had a good script written by Kemi Adesoye and a fantastic cast starring Ramsey Nouah, Omoni Oboli, the director himself, Kunle Afolayan, and Lagbaja as the narrator. This film grossed over 30,000,000naira at the box office and was met with wide critical acclaim when it was released at Rotterdam International film festival in 2009. It went on to win multiple awards (5 out of its 10 nominations) at the 6thAfrican Movie Academy Awards organized also in 2009 - and was held in Gloryland Cultural centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State- including Best Achievement in Cinematography and Visual Effects and also Best Picture. The idea of basing the story around University friends going off to NYSC as well as life after National Youth Service Corps, gave the story an originality that allowed the actors transform on screen as multiple angles and timelines were shot. This movie reminded me of the kind of stories I like to write and inspired me to work harder on my supernatural thriller genre.

4. TV Dramas – Well, I couldn’t stop without mentioning a few TV dramas that made way for Nollywood industry which began to bloom in the 1990s with home videos like Living in Bondage, Sacobi the snake girl, etc. Without the likes of Hot cash - popular remembered as Willy Willy - (a supernatural suspense drama on a nephew whose aunty killed him in a ritual to make money and his spirit came back to haunt her till her demise), Village Headmaster (a comedy series about school life in post colonial era), Behind the Clouds (adrama series about a family and how they adjust to changes in life), Tales by Moonlight (a children’s program that brought folklore to life with drama), Ripples, New Village Masquerade, CheckMate, etc as well as recent TV series like Clinic Matters (a comedy series based on life working in a Nigerian hospital), Super story (a drama collection of different stories of happenings in Nigeria in form of fiction), Everyday People, Family Circle and so much more, Nollywood would never have come to be. These TV series exposed us to the talents and variety of genres that Nigerians embraced and made it possible for us to not view our movies as second rate products not worthy of purchase. Through these dramas, acting talents are discovered like Ego Boyo, Richard Mofe Damijo (aka RMD), Carol King, Ignis Ikwe, Ireti Doyle, Nkiruka ‘Kiki’ Omeli, and a few others.

There are many more great works out there and as I expose myself to them, I’ll keep you informed. I have a ton of writer/director friends who are doing amazing things in Nollywood and I can’t wait to tell their stories. The likes of Ejiro Onobrakpor who has taken his stage dramas to movie level with his hit movie, A Few Good Men starring Kate Henshaw, and created the TV show e-box inspiring; and Stanley Ohikhuare who has put his animation projects (like Lifespan – the tale of some Niger Delta Mosquitoes) on hold since 2007 *weeping* to become a household name in creating award winning short films like Loop, Verdict, Oblivious and the comedy skit, Horn-Free Day which right now has earned him 11 nominations in the upcoming African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) 2014. Particular Kudos to the TV series (Tinsel, Dowry and Bachelors) created Victor Sanchez Aghahowa, as well as his internet web series #howsheleftmybrother, which proved that Nigerian writers are capable of producing so much more than we’ve enjoyed in the past. Even an old secondary school buddy who I used to party with back in the day, Jay-Franklin Jituboh, has done some remarkable work worthy of note like the movie, Caught starring upcoming actors like Tamara Isibor and Henry Ohikhuare (yes, Stanley’s younger brother) and IBK Spaceshipboi’s video, Loving you.

And last but not least, rising stars Xavier Ighorodje, writer of the documentary Will of Iron that won the Short Film Challenge and may get a chance to be shown at the Sundance film festival as well as the movie script Them and Us recently produced by themandus.vhx.tv; and also Greygon Avwokuruaye (who has worked with Entertainment Afrique and Amoeba 3), whose works are going to blow your mind. If you haven’t taken an interest in Nollywood, now’s a good time to start.

THE “THEY” MENTALITY (Part 2)

This is so much more than just the judiciary system. It is connected to the ‘they’ mentality possessed by most of us - the belief that ‘others’ are the ones responsible for everything while the rest of us are exempt from and therefore free of any obligation to act. This mentality is what is killing us as a people. We show no interest in the crisis in Egypt, Syria, Liberia and other nations because we believe it has nothing to do with us. We raise our noses up at the plight of others because it has not gotten to our backyards yet. The Ebola issue is a classic example of this attitude; where thousands were dying and we did nothing for almost 6 months after its initial outbreak until Patrick Sawyer came into the country and we lost 20 lives. I applaud our rapid response but this same attitude I’m referring to is why America, Spain and other countries did nothing until it got to their shores. No more digression, back to Nigeria. If we are to be a people, we need to work together to ensure all parts of our society is working so our future generation can be secured.

Below are a few suggestions & recommendations on how to right the wrongs in our society so as to build better systems to sustain us as a nation:

1. Enlightenment Campaigns - these can be done by anyone (bloggers, journalists, activists or even concerned citizens) on any platform or medium be it on TV, print or social media. We need to educate people on how to be value oriented, emphatic as well as sympathetic towards the plights of humanity all around us. But most especially to be compassionate (which takes empathy and sympathy to the next level which is action!), doing something about the issues around us. Only then can we see the change we seek that can restructure our failed national systems.

Isioma lamented, “Sometimes it seems like all we do is talk, protest and speak plenty English” and who can blame her when you put all our efforts of #bringbackourgirls on the scale of protest versus actions. But I believe that in speaking regularly through every medium about issues plaguing our nation and their solutions, we not only create awareness that these problems exists and needs to be solved but also encourage more people to be solution oriented and proffer better solutions that can be implemented if the right people get wind of all our chatter.

2. Laws and Sanctions- it’s not enough to create laws but there needs to be mechanism in place to ensure that these laws are carried out and sanctions are emitted on those who do not. This is where law enforcers come in, not to victimize the populace but to ensure law breakers are actually knowledgeable about the laws they are breaking and the penalties for them before executing sanctions.

3. Accountability – this is where you and I can play a very active role. We can hold our leaders accountable by holding protests (street march/sit downs & hash tag online campaigns), calling in to ask questions during televised debates with our leaders or engaging in PRO debates. We can also be effective if we knew who the people representing our constituencies are and call them out of they fail to do their jobs.

4. Think and Act - I don’t know about you but I am tired of reading articles that point accusing fingers at everyone else as the blame for the failure of Nigeria as a nation. If we all do what is right, raise children who believe in doing right, then we would have raised a generation of thinkers whose passion is to act on what they know is right to do. Don’t just sit and complain; ask yourself, what can be done? Who can help make my ideas reality and what can I do to ensure the solutions I’ve come up with are heard and implemented? It doesn’t matter who takes the glory for the solution you provide, what matters is if it’s acted upon.

It‘s time we get off our high horse and get rid of this ‘They’ mentality that absolves us of any responsibility towards the improvement of Nigeria, our nation. @grandverve said, “the sort of change we need requires critical mass” and I agree. Only a few good men can’t change our systems no matter the significant position of power they hold. If we won’t do it, who will? Let us not be like those who live in the moment and forget to keep an inheritance or leave a legacy for generations unborn. If our heroes past did not stand up and fight for our independence, we may not be here as a country 54 years later. If we truly believe in the unity and posterity of this nation, then it’s time for us ALL to cast aside all forms of segregation especially the ‘they’ mentality and embrace a ‘We’ mentality approach to Nation Building.

You can follow me on twitter @annkite0 or on my facebook page Life, Love and Anything Goes or Ann Esievoadje (for writers tips)

THE “THEY” MENTALITY (Part 1)

On the 9th of June this year, I was drawn into a conversation on twitter about a nameless woman who was raped to death by some cattle rustlers in Ovia North East LGA about a week prior to this discussion. News report had it that the only witness to the crime was the woman’s 18year old son who fled the scene and reported the matter to Ekiadolor Divisional Police headquarters. In the news report that sparked up the conversation on twitter, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) to Edo State police Command confirmed that three suspects linked to the crime had been apprehended. The possibility that justice would be served if corrupt police officials aren’t paid off to release the suspect pending a court case was what stirred the conversation on twitter. This conversation was by a few concerned Nigerians (not necessarily those living in Edo State) and it went from on how the criminals should be prosecuted and sentenced to how flawed the justice system in Nigeria is. The cases sited to support the latter claim were the ALUU4, Cynthia Osisogu Facebook murder case, and a few other high profiled cases in which there has been no closure despite the years gone by. I recall sharing their sentiments when the Oscar Pistorius Trial in South Africa, came to a close within a year of the suspect’s arrest with every detail of the court proceedings covered by BBC Africa and other international journalists.

Why does it seem like the judicial system in Nigeria is non-functional? Why do cases go on forever with no closure even when the accused or suspect has been granted bail? It hurts to see a guilty suspect go on living a normal life as though nothing ever happen just because the court is yet to decide appropriate punishment for the crime. Why does it seem as though Lady Justice is not only blind but sluggish? It is because our legal system is broken.

It is filled with everyday people like you and I whose basic instinct is first survival before a high desire for seeing justice served on offenders. It’s not like lawyers don’t have a sense of moral indignation that fuels their desire to protect the vulnerable in society against perpetrators of crime, it’s just that practicing law is first a job that meets their basic needs of food, shelter, etc before it can become a form of social activism. That is why most lawyers hardly take on pro bono cases because for them to do that or for them to become vigilantes, they need a steady source of income that won’t be affected by their passion for justice. This is no way an attack on lawyers but a way for us to see how each individual element contributes to the breakdown of our justice system. Starting with the law practitioners is simply my attempt to explain why cases would rather be adjourned forever because each court appearance is factored into the fees to be paid by their client -the guilty, innocent, victim or accused.

Yes it is true that sometimes the police does make mistakes in their arrest and accuse innocent people of crimes they did not commit. [As can be seen in the story of Cynthia’s Murder where an innocent pharmacist, a graduate of Igbinedion University Okada, IUO Benin, was framed by the police and wrongfully accused. In his case protests and petitions from friends and well wishers both on social media and otherwise was what saved him from the 15count charges.] These suspects are held in prison cells till the case has either been taken to court or settled out of court at the police station since it is usually up to the judicial system to decide the suspect’s fate – guilty or innocent.

In the case sparking this discussion, it was agreed that in every state there is a legal aid who should be responsible for taking up cases like this nameless women’s case as pro bono and fight till justice is served. As of right now, i'm unaware of the existence of a Public Defenders Legal Aid office (where the lawyers' fees are covered by the Government to enable the poor get justice if they can't afford the normal legal fees for court proceedings) in any State in Nigeria. We are most certain that one of the reasons a lot of crimes go unpunished in our system is because most victims cannot afford the legal fees associated with fighting for justice and if that’s the case why bother reporting to the Police when a crime is committed?

If the system has failed to maintain order and protect citizens, who then should be held responsible for restructuring the system? By the justice system, we are referring to the lawyers, judiciary, the executive and the legislators. @adeken01 said, “So far the current system allows the inept to thrive while good men are labeled as whistle blowers?” Whose job is it to ensure that something is being done when criminals are said to be tried and sentenced under the Law? Who is to follow up and ensure due process is achieved?

LEAD THE CHANGE: THE EXECUTIVE SQUARE

Remember the Brian Tracy seminar organized by Leadership 300 (an arm of Benson Idahosa University aka BIU) I attended a while back that I blogged about and you loved? Well, I had the similar privilege of attending another powerful seminar held on the 23rd of August and organized by BIU’s Knowledge Development Centre, only this time I paid so don’t expect me to spill all the goodies I learned.

This seminar was titled The Executive Square and the Guest Speaker was Julian Kyula, the CEO of Mo-DE Africa (Mobile Decisioning) and the winner of IBM’s 2012 Global Entrepreneur of the Year Award. His company is the owner of the Telco, “Borrow Me credit” feature so whenever you borrow any amount from your network he gets richer, hehehe.

I had never heard of this Kenyan before but I felt a strong urge to hear what he had to say. Most millionaires make their money silently away from the watchful eyes of the paparazzi, while improving different sectors of countries economies. Enough of my philosophies, here’s an overview of what he taught or shall I say what I learned from my two hour session with him.

Starting out as an entrepreneur
The world of e-commerce is going global due to the value placed on people to share information e.g. Facebook - pictures and stories. The saying that entrepreneurship is not for everyone is a lie. We are moving into a world of partnerships, no one can do business alone, so anyone can become an entrepreneur. The world of entrepreneurship is one no one is prepared for. It feels like a lot or responsibility thrown at you very quickly once you decide to start a business. You don’t have to do it alone. The world is full of people that have the potentials to make your dreams come true.

Your passion/business is personal; nobody else is as passionate about your vision as you. Don’t confuse it for other people’s passion when talking to people like future investors/partners. Do not personalize your business plan; make it factual because people are driven by bottom-line (aka profit). Study who you are speaking to – what excites them, what their passion is, how your passion can be relevant to them and listen when they speak. Investors are serious about investing in people who will bring result and they spend a greater percentage of time assessing the risk factors associated with your business. Be ready to rewrite your business plan over and over again.

On your journey as an entrepreneur
Look at your business like a science, do your maths, get experts to partner with you, know your market size, get statistics on the sector you are venturing into to enable you position your business and break into the market. Get an accountant, history of your longevity in the business, a clear analysis of your competitor and outline the risk factors associated with your business in your business plan. Deliberate planning for positioning is vital for the survival of your business and it prevents you from being sidetracked by success when you’ve not attained your ultimate goal. Have a structure for your business and put people into it, people who will question what you do not yes men. Failure is part of your journey; it teaches you when you don’t get it right. You need to be resilient when venturing into business and plan to live off the interest of your interest. E.g. let’s say your seed is 1 billion and your interest is 10% (100 million) take 10% of your interest (10million) and live off it then invest the remainder or save part of it in Trust funds for your future generation and invest the rest.

What you must do today:
1. Take Charge of your dream because no one else will care about it until you’ve made it. Your passion is more important than your enterprise.

2. Take responsibility. Your time is very precious; don’t waste it on things that won’t add to your life. Find your compass and your true north, you’ve been inspired enough.

3. Take the fire. Don’t let your dream be crushed by external forces. What you have will be rejected so many times but you must have the fire to keep your dream alive.

4. Study your dream. Is it the solution to a problem that a bigger company is looking for? Start looking for global problems to solve. Whose problem are you solving?

5. Pray over your plans.

Lessons of Life
 Relationships are paramount for your next level. Ask yourself, who is my introducer? There will always be someone that will take you to your next level so be careful about ‘burning bridges’.

 Be grateful for the sacrifice of your parents but ensure you are living your dreams not theirs so you don’t pass yours on to your children.

 Spend time writing out your plans. Think trans-generational, let the legacy you leave for your children, their children and their children’s children be your focus and motivation.

 When people say you’ve changed, it means you simply stopped living life their way.

 Stop trying to perfect things, get it out there. There are people out there who are willing to put money into what you started that isn’t perfect.

Now that you have all this information, what do you do with it? Position yourself.

Movie Review & Spoiler

I haven’t done this in a while because I have been enjoying too many cinema movies, Japanese anime and TV series as well as mobile downloaded movies. After so much, I’m in the mood for some spoilers. Here goes:

1. Godzilla – In one sentence, it is a glorified mock-buster on a larger production scale than its counterparts e.g. Sharknado. It is the story of two ancient creatures that woke up to mate but are being stopped by a dinosaur while humans scramble around trying to obliterate them with their military prowess which just happens to be the creatures’ meal. I’m glad I didn’t waste hard earned cash watching this in a cinema. I advise you to watch this only when you are bored.

2. Transcendence – The story of the pros and cons of using technology to explore the potentials of the human mind alongside a tale of undying love among scientific-minded lovers. For all its hype it is more sci-fi than drama (genre); it reminded me of Tom cruise’s Minority Report. This movie opened my eyes to what blind faith in those we love can cause (it creates a monster that cannot be tamed) and in the end I couldn’t tell if the lead character was human or computer generated. I advise you watch this at home with a large flat screen TV.

3. Divergent – It had the feel of Susan Collins’ Hunger Games adaptation, maybe because it’s an adaptation from a bestselling novel as well. While it is simply the story of a young girl trying to find herself in a class system that kills out anyone who dares to be different, it is also about parents supporting their children in their life choices and being willing to sacrifice their all to save them if necessary. It was a young adult genre with a few popular actors and actresses like Shailene Woodley, Jodie foster and Kate Winslet. I actually enjoyed this movie even though the end left more to be desired. I just pray there’s no part two because I won’t watch it.

4. Blended – Another comedy film by the dynamic duo - Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The tale of a bad date gone wrong that continues on a family vacation in Africa. I would say they at some point the comedy felt unreal like the part where the girl deliberately threw out the rubber slippers false external breast implants. Some funny parts were repeated like the walking down the stairs and certain soundtracks playing in people’s head. My favorite character was Terry Crew and the male singing/mocking choir, they were just hilarious.

5. Half of a Yellow Sun – So far this has been the most anticipated Nigerian movie not only because it was am original Nigerian tale played by Stellar award winning Hollywood actors but also because of its ban. It was the first Nigerian movie I have ever watched in a cinema. But I must say, even though it is a cinema must watch it did come across like a documentary with the use of real life clips from Ojukwu’s speech and so much focus being placed on the historical part of the story and sexual nuances of the characters. It made it hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Even though I haven’t read the book, I did find a strong need to do so after watching this movie as it is obvious a lot of important details were taken out to make the film as commercial as it was (like why the lead character was called a revolutionary lover – I didn’t think a few heated conversations were enough to brand him as a revolutionary). I must say besides making me angry at Ojukwu’s desire for self preservation at the expense of the many lives of the Ibo people who were lost & torn apart, it left me wondering why he was celebrated in his death.

6. Angriest Man in Brooklyn – This is the story of a pissed young medical doctor who happens to be sarcastic with the diagnosis of an annoying patient and the fear of imminent death makes the patient realize what a messed up life he’s lived as he discovers the infidelity of his wife, comes to terms with non-existent relationship with his son, hatred of his friends and generally the fact that he’s an unbearable someone. In the end he dies in peace as the messed up doctor helps him find the missing pieces of his and her life. An ironic film to watch in view of the recent passing of its main character Robin Williams by suicide, so glad he has three new movies to be released in December that’ll help us remember him in a positive happy light.

Time won’t permit me to share all I’ve watched since my last movie talk. Hope these suffice.

GOODBYES AND SEE YOU LATERS (fiction)

I wrote this isolated piece a while back.

"I’ve never really been fond of saying goodbyes. I would rather say, “See you later” than to ever say ‘goodbye’. I think the word goodbye has a touch of finality to it. So you can imagine how I felt when my eldest son got married. He’s been my strongest emotional support ever since his father’s death, picking up the slack and becoming the bread winner in his father’s stead. I know he deserves to be happy but with all the plans for the wedding, I could sense this was more of a goodbye that a ‘see you later’ celebration. Don’t get me wrong I love his bride and I wish him the best but as the vows were being read, I had the strangest feeling within to jump up and say something, anything, and nothing in particular, that would not only disrupt the wedding but put an end to it permanently. I realized in that moment I was being selfish. I tearfully clapped as the bride and groom kissed. It was not tears of joy, no, not at all, it was tears of sorrow and a resolute determination to stay away, long enough for me to forget that we had such great moments together as a family. I want to be there for my son but I know I need to know better than give unsolicited advice or expect him to still take care of his siblings like he used to because once his wife gets pregnant and has a baby, he’ll have to spend more money on them. Maybe by then I’ll just become a glorified free baby sitter for them, who knows. I have to stay in the present for now, they are just getting married and after their honeymoon, I’m sure they’ll want to hang out with me on occasion. Oh I’m doing it again; drifting into the future. For now I have to put on a brave face, smile, dance, and rejoice with the newlyweds, tomorrow will take care of itself."

If you were the son, how would you assure your mother that being married wouldn't make you love her any less and that her place will always be in your heart?