If I could Travel Back In Time, I Would Love To Relive This One Memory: My Dream Vacation.

As we eat our dinner at moonlight, we would sing songs and share stories until everyone was sleepy and mom would take us in our room.

Author: Inshuti Divine

Have you ever had those moments when you're trying to pin down words in your journal but you instead get flooded by a thousand memories?

Those memories you’ve been keeping dear to your heart and those that you don’t want to remember? Hmmm...

I have always wanted to sit and journal about my precious little village (and oh, just how much I miss it!) and to plan a vacation therein with my kids to see the place that means the world to me.

But every time I do, I sadly always get carried away by those beautiful times and forget to write or make any plans. Sounds weird I know but this is what happens when I get lost in that world.

All I want is a getaway, but is it enough? I don't think so. I need something more than that, something meaningful, a vacation not to a new place, but to the place of my birth where I can reconnect to my roots and feel at home.

Let me tell you a bit about myself. I was born in the village into a very small family, living in a small house, with barely no basic amenities like lights, good road network, tap water, or even luxury like cars.

The village was so serene and void of noise with;

• The exception of little kids playing hide and seek,

• Cattle at home,

• Birds singing freely on tall old trees,

• Chats of innocent people walking down the road greeting everyone, not caring if they knew themselves.

When the sun sets, kids stop playing outside and all our friends go home while we make our way home too as we were used to playing on the main road.

On reaching home, you'll typically find mom getting our dinner ready and preparing everything before dad arrives from work.

As we eat our dinner at moonlight, we would sing songs and share stories until everyone was sleepy and mom would get us in our room.

I used to share a room with my big sister and always got sleepy first, so she would come in last and cover my legs again (this was fun to me).

Early in the mornings birds would sing beautiful songs while I followed the melody. I always hoped that one day I would come across a bird that sings in my language since they sounded so happy during the mornings when everyone else was asleep.

But I never got that chance. Maybe, just maybe someday, mother nature will bless me with such privilege.

We always had milk first thing in the morning as we were told by our grandfather that it will help us grow tall and beautiful, which turned out to be true because we are.

We watched the sunrise in wonder as mom cooked porridge and some food for dad before going to work. He was a teacher and one of very few educated men in our neighborhood.

As soon as the sun set, dad would arrive with some firewood from the trees near us, make campfire and go ahead to tell us stories of his grandparents and old stories only people of the older generation would know.

As a 5-year-old girl, I always saw my dad as a hero. Seeing him waking up in the mornings to do some work at home, wearing his formal outfit before going to work, inspired me. Anytime I heard other kids calling him “teacher”, it made me feel so proud.

One unforgettable day, my story changed. I still have these fond memories. It feels like yesterday! I went to visit an uncle in town on a very long journey of 5 hours on a bus.

I was not bored as my eyes were set on the road. All I could see was wonders I’ve never seen before. Big cars, big shops, different people with a lot of things I was seeing for the first time.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I asked my mom but she didn't know either. So I kept looking, hoping that I’ll keep all questions for my uncle who lived in town.

When we arrived, I was very tired and sleepy as it was very late and my first time being away from home. They gave us warm water and we took a shower. Mom helped me out and we got ready within few minutes for dinner.

This was where we met his family of 5 kids and his wife. The plan was for me to live with them. I started my new life here, observing everything and asking names to be able to know things at my new home.

A week later, my mother returned to the village and I started this new life. I enrolled into school and completely transformed from a village girl to a civilized young girl who saw a different part of the world and was introduced to a new life with new people.

Today, it's been 20 years since I left. I am currently on holiday lodged at a hotel near the lake. It looks so beautiful and exciting. But the only thing I find myself doing right now is journaling while I stare at the waters crying on my journal. This happened last night as well. Only now that I have realized that I’ve been missing my childhood. I am a grown up woman in age and life experiences, with beautiful kids and an amazing husband. Yet, I feel drown to a place deep within me.

It's not because I am lonely, but because all along as we planned this trip, my dream and utmost desire has been to go back home to my parents where;

• Love begun for me,

• I was born and raised,

• Most of my beautiful memories begun.

I want to go back to visit home, home is where my heart is...It's my dream vacation!