"Steemit Engagement Challenge S5-W3: If Only"

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Warm greetings to you, my dear Steemians. I hope you are doing well today. Today I am here to share a true life story in accordance to this titled : "If Only," which is given as a contest in Steem For Betterlife Community.

The word "If only" is a word that is used to express a wish that is mostly regretful in our lives.

If Only I Had Followed My Mom, I Would've Got A Message From Her Before Her Demise😭

2019 was a very sad year in my family. After celebrating my matriculation as a student at a higher institution, the next month turned out to be a very sad month for my entire family.

My mom fell very sick in early 2019 and I am her only daughter, whereas the rest are boys, which means wherever my mom should be, I should be there with her since my dad has traveled out of the state for his work. It was at the very moment that I was preparing to start school as a fresher that my mom became so sick that she decided to travel home for treatment.

This is a picture of my mom at the she was very sick and taken to the village for treatment.

She suffered a lot from her illness. We took her to several hospitals, even the best hospital in the state, and also another hospital outside of Cross River State to know her medical condition. All the hospitals that she went to did several tests, and all the results showed that nothing was wrong with her apart from having high blood pressure (BP).

When my mom was about to travel home, I met her and told her that I wanted to travel with her until she got well. My mom suggested that I stay back and take good care of my siblings since I am the only female child at home and I would be starting school in a few weeks' time.

There were a lot of sweet things that she told me. My elder brother totally discouraged me from traveling with my mom to the village. At the end of my arguments that I traveled with my mom, she traveled and left me behind and promised to come back as soon as i would be resuming school. Everything was going well until at some point.

At the time that I was preparing to resume school, I called my mom and informed her that I would be resuming school in 3 days' time and she accepted, and said to me that her people in the village asked her to have a rest in the village before coming home. Since my mom could not come over, she sent one of my cousins, who came and took over most of the activities I was doing with the hope that my mom would return in a month's time.

My Mom promised to attend my matriculation at the University of Calabar, but it was unfortunate that she didn't later attend my matriculation at the end of the day.

I called her to know how far she was doing and she said fine, just a headache. When I called my elder brother to see if he could, he said no, he was preparing for his examination. My dad was far away and it was only my other elder brother that came around since we were in the same school.

It was a month interval after I matriculated that my mom called me again and pleaded with me to travel down home during the Easter period and see how my siblings were doing. I ignored her and stayed back in school. Although I wanted to travel, my Dad suggested that I shouldn't travel home because he had sent some money across to them.

A week after the Easter celebration, one of my siblings called to tell me that my father had returned, but he had traveled to the village. Immediately, I got the information. I called my Dad and he said yes, he was on his way to the village. I asked him, sir, I hope everything is fine, and he said yes. Within me, I became worried and picked up my phone and started calling my brothers and my mom also.

At the time I called my mom, her phone was switched off. At two-day intervals, my father called and told me that whatever he told me, I should take it in good faith and remain strong.

At that moment, my Dad then opened up and said, "My Mom is Death." I couldn't hold it but to cry out loud. I called my brother to make sure I was dreaming and I discovered it was true. It was my brother and my friends that came and consoled me.

If only I had traveled home on Easter, I would have heard what my mom wanted to say or give to me.

May her soul rest in peace. Amen.

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Thank you for stopping by dear, Steemians.....I'd like to invite @yakspeace, @temitopef, and @sailawana.