Blue Paper Rockets
Keep dreaming
I lost my dad in early 2019. And then, a number of other crazy sad, bad, things happened. And then, we entered into a pandemic. And now, many of us have gone through crazy sad, bad, things.
Rather than talk more about crazy sad, bad, things, this is a story is about one of my happiest memories growing up. It’s about my dad, and my family.
I must have been about 5 or 6; we were living in Nigeria at the time. And my parents were home from work. My dad taught us how to make paper rockets (airplanes). We used blue paper.
I stood out on our balcony, as the sun set, and I threw my paper rocket out into the wide world. To me, it looked like my paper rocket was sailing away, right into the sun in the far-off horizon.
I was elated and happy and full of wonder. My blue paper rocket was going to go on forever. Like a dream. That’s what my dad was good at — telling me to keep dreaming and go after my dreams.
I am the woman I am today because I listened, and went after my dreams. I am so proud of my dad, and that he was my dad. My dad, just like my blue paper rocket, will go on forever, in my dreams, in the love my family holds. I am living my life to the fullest. I’ll keep living, and living out my dreams, and my life.
I’d like to share more stories of my dad. My parents are superheroes in my life. Giants upon whose shoulders I stand on. Maybe I will, as I hang out during this pandemic.
