Like I always wear on my lips, Dolly P is a woman whose name rings bell in my ear. Her virtues are innumerable. I haven't met her; but her good attitude was transmitted to me telepathically.

Guess what?

I just finished reading her book, 'Karma's fury and other life transforming stories .'

The short stories really transformed my life.

You know one thing that impressed me about the book?

As an English and Literary studies student, I can evidently say  her short stories really have the features of short story.

~It has a dominant subject matter it's relating to.
~It has unity of plot.
~It is read at a sitting.

The great writer employed an autobiographical point of view also known as first person point of view to drive home the basic lessons.

The book is a 134 paged book full-packed with lessons.

You know the chapter that purgated my emotions?(catharsis)

You know the chapter that appealed to me personally?

You know the one that subjected me to a stream of consciousness?

You know the one made me shed tears of joy?

It was page 95 with the title, 'A Toddler's First Step.'

Allow me to quote ma:

                         ******

The Toddler's First Step

The moment I gave birth to my son, his growth began.
Days rolled into weeks which rolled into months and
his growth kept advancing.

Need I say he came out of the womb helpless and needed aid as he grew. I had to help him latch on my breasts, bathe him, move him from a point to another else he’d be transfixed for as long as anyone showed up to carry him.

On some days, anxiety got the better part of me, I would be in the living room and imagine him walking in from the room all by himself at a few months old. I just smiled at my crazy weird imagination of expecting him walk when he hadn’t even sat let alone crawled.

I did count months and really in no distant ones, he could turn and roll while sleeping, sit unaided, hold on to people or things(furniture) around him to move around. It was indeed amazing to behold the growth stages of the infant pulled out of blood a few months back.

Then one day, just a day that dawned like all others, this active son took his FIRST STEPS without holding on to anyone or
thing. It was a privilege to witness the steps which hardly numbered three before he fell to the floor.

Though he fell, he was eager to attempt his steps again because he found it an exciting feat. He had conquered his fear he must
have thought to himself.

From those initial steps, there was no stopping him. Several
times I looked away, he was busy at his attempts. Oh! how he
did fall countless times. Some even had him cry out bitterly
while others excited him.

This leads me to admonish a friend today especially you reading this book. Who is willing to take that bold step undeterred
by the seemingly endless tales of woes about Nigeria and the
economy?

Who is ready to launch out against all odds, who will dare to leave his /her crawling state and try something new even if unstable at the beginning?

Would you rather sit idling away or even moving from a factory/company/office to another seeking jobs which sit
employers that have grabbed all the viable positions for as
long as twenty- ten years ago? (Pathetic I must say).

I implore you to stretch yourself and think of that very new step to take. You need to live again and quit being stranded. Living
things move you know. It’s unhealthy now to count wasted
years when you’ve got innate abilities waiting for expressions. Come on! Bring them on. It’s time to excel.

                           *********

I felt nostalgic after reading it. Thank you ma.

You want to feel how I feel?

Get a copy at www.dollyp.com