I Am Not There, I Did Not Die

I've been very lucky in this life to have hardly been touched by death, the few people I have known that died have been few and very far between.

On Monday morning, I woke up to the incredibly sad news that my friend Motunrayo had died. This hit me hard.

I and Mots were not very close but I've known her since Primary 1 in Corona, where we were classmates till we both left, we met up again in Vivian Fowler and again in Queen's College where we were in the same class till we graduated. She is probably one of the few people besides family that I've known for more than 20 years.

It's always devastating to hear of any loss of life but more so when the person is as young, as loved and as full of life as she was.

My earliest memory of her was our first day in Primary 1, we were all given name tags so the teachers could identify us and Mots happened to be the only person who misplaced hers. We were all probably about 5 or 6 years old, a roomful of scared, crying babies but this girl started going round the class saying "I've lost my name thing but my name is Motunrayo Ogbara, remember o!"

Lol.

I was seriously impressed by her audacity and that is the Motunrayo all her friends remember; fearless, audacious, friendly, lively, amazing.

One of our own has left untimely but I pray the Lord has taken her into His House.

For me and for all her friends, the Queen's College Class of 2001 and her family, the words of Mary Elizabeth Frye resonate most especially in this sad time;

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush.
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Rest in peace