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By @luola12
21 October 2017   |   1:41 am
Listening to my father’s timeless advice to “never burn bridges” turned out to be the right decision. I had left my employers in the UK on a good note, and had kept in touch with quite a number of my colleagues.

Listening to my father’s timeless advice to “never burn bridges” turned out to be the right decision. I had left my employers in the UK on a good note, and had kept in touch with quite a number of my colleagues. So when I called my former boss to ask if I could have a conversation about coming back, he was excited and assured me the door was still open.

My fashion designing stint had also opened me up to other possibilities, and I had already applied to one of the biggest fashion schools in the UK. I had quite a number of options and I knew I would be fine.

The only hurdle left to cross, was explaining my decision to my family. I waited till my father eventually got back from his business trip and then I decided to have a word with both my parents.

“Daddy, Mummy. I am going back to the UK”. I announced.My father took off his glasses and placed them on the stool beside him. My mum immediately started clutching her chest with her right hand.

“Adunni are you ok?” My father asked her.“I don’t know why all these things are happening to me”. She said with a shaky voice that indicated tears were about to follow.
“What things are happening to you?” My father asked. I did not miss the sarcasm in his voice.

“Hmmmmm….I don’t know who I have offended”. She said as the first tear made its way down her cheek.My father pulled her close into a warm embrace and then spoke.
“Why have you made this decision?” He asked calmly.

“I just feel like since I got back, I have done nothing but cause problems for the people I hold dear. You and mummy. Tunji, my friends….and in the midst of it all, I have not even accomplished any of the things that made me come back in the first place”! I explained.

“What accomplishments are you referring to”? My father asked.“Starting a business, getting married, and making you and mummy proud”. I replied.“And so you think because you have not gotten married yet, and have not started the business we are not proud of you? Look, I have my reservations about how you handled things; but I respect the fact that you were able to do what you felt you needed to do despite the complications and consequences. It makes me confident that I have empowered you to be your own woman, and so if your final decision is to return to the UK, I am confident that you know what you are doing’. My father said to me.

His comforting words melted my heart, but my mother’s tears brought back all the doubts in my head.“So have you made up your mind Adesewa”? My father asked after a moment of awkward silence.“Yes”. I said.

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