Well, it’s been a couple weeks since my last blog. It’s been a little hard for me to blog, as what I felt I needed to blog most about was too painful for me to even bring to memory. So, I’ve pushed it to the back of memory, wishing the truth was a lie. Last week, one of my closest friends had the unfortunate task of telling me our friend Olive Ikeh, had been killed in a car accident. Even now as I write this, I am still numb by this, challenged with the ability to grasp that I will never enjoy the company of Olive again. To know Olive, was to know what inimitable. Anyone fortunate to have met her was guaranteed to have had some impression left by her on them. Ironically, it was only a year a half ago where she was severely hit by a drunk driver and was granted another chance at life.
In my attempt to make sense of this, I take solace in the beauty she stood for, and realize that at any moment life as we know it can be illogically altered forever. All I have is today and this moment. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, so I ask myself ‘if it were all to end what impression would I hope to have left on the world?’ And as I ache for the loss of Olive, I promise myself to make the most of this moment -- NOW. I move forward, doing all the things I wanted to do someday, now, and being the woman I hope to be someday, now. And definitely, definitely… no regrets!
Making the most of this moment,
Nicole
5 comments:
I am sorry for your loss. I had the pleasure of meeting Olive earlier this year. She even braided my hair for me at the end of the summer. She had such a sweet spirit and she was a great person. Although I didn't know her that long I know that she had such a great passion for life and standing up for her rights and what she believed in. I was able to celebrate with her on election night and we shared tears of joy and excitement. I just found out through a friend of her death today and it truly saddens me. My thoughts and prayers are with you, all of her friends, family and the many different lives she touched. I plan to attend the memorial service that will be here in Lansing for her on this Saturday Jan.24th.
God Bless
I met Olive in South Africa in 2006. I just heard of her passing today, and I am incredibly saddened. She was a great girl and wonderful company. I hope you and all the rest of her friends and family find comfort somehow.
Thank you for your words... Like I said I'm having a hard time believing she is gone, so I still think of her as if she is here. But, maybe that's because of the magnetic personality she held. Funny, she was also my personal braider. The conversations you can have when she was working lightening speed braiding your hair! I'm sorry that you are both just learning of her death as well. I won't be able to attend this weekends memorial as I am out of the country, but I'll be there in spirit. I'm sure it will be lovely and serve as a final goodbye for those of us who can't attend the funeral... Peace be with you.
P.S: I'm glad she at least saw Barack Obama gain victory, as I know she was involved in his campaign.
Thank you for this post! How appropriate a title for Olive because she was truly a woman who believed in "in living for now." Olive and I were law school classmates. To say that Olive left an impression on me is -- to borrow a cliche -- a vast understatement. From the first time we met, Olive always smiled. Always. Never one to worry about anything, Olive exhibited this spirit of calmness and patience that I secretly envied (and sometimes mocked). As one example, Olive would teach her aerobics class at the YMCA, then head off to braid someone's hair, and still make time for a 6:30pm law school exam. Phenomenal!!! On the other hand, I and most other mere mortals would be a panicky mess! Plus, as an added bonus, Olive laughed at my corny jokes. As the old saying goes: there are people in this world who leave footprints in your heart, and you are never the same. Olive was such a person. Ms. Ikeh will not soon be forgotten. ---Pascale E. Duvert, Esq.--
Thanks Emmanuelle! I think you totally encapsulate Olive. Like I said, her spirt lives on now and forever!
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