The year I open my mouth!

3 min readMar 31, 2024

As young people, introverted and anxiety-driven, there’s the temptation to cower and not live in the moment. This, I have not failed to succumb to in my 20 fine years on this earth from fearing that I’ll not perfect my French, so let the world not know that you are in Lomé (I overcame it small but not as much as I would have loved to-solo traveller et al) to not posting so much in law school. Whether that decision to be off posting was borne out of the same unfounded fear of what if I flunk this is what I don’t know but I sure know that it didn’t translate to my use or otherwise of my three-reliable social media platforms, the WIT.

This year, however, I’ve chosen to open my mind and mouth wide cos God will fill it.

With the resolves I’ve made to just brave it through these fine 20s, I’ve been fortunate to have people whose resilience beats my imagination encourage me. Some of them have gone before me, others are at the stage I am. On that note, God bless my older friends specially. God bless my peer-friends greatly and God bless my family superbly, cos?!

Recounting the events of the past year will pass for a memoir but trust me when I say it’s been a long jolly-daunting ride through the dessert. Sometimes, I see fellow travelers, my friends and family that really hold my hands. Other times, it’s just me pushing through like the Ford Raptor that I am, more dogged than the day before, making a few stops to refuel (rant and possibly weep) and set off again.

Something is however constant, this year:

I open my mouth more, making those requests, however grande. Highest is “No”.
I don’t feel like I’m too much for anybody because in all of this, as I shared with one of my super friends recently, when you’re financially in the pits, nobody you’re trying to please with limiting parts of you knows your struggles. Those limited parts, being the parts that possibly expedite your growth.
I’ll try to put myself out there in more ways than one cos I have sense and world should know while I gather more sense with the hands and opportunities I am dealt. Great researcher, multilingual lawyer in trade facilitation in international trade law, amongst others *I’m modest*.
Is a me year and we’re treating it as such.
I wear more gorgeous shoes🥹, stilettos & sneakers alike.
I fully recognize the days I’m Kbaby, Kmama and just K! (Girl v. Woman, cos I’m both).

We’re dreaming again. We’re fantasizing even more.

Nothing however assures me of ease but one thing is sure, God is mindful of me and he knows tomorrow.

Jesus & me, we’re majority.🎶

Silvery yours,

Karinate for a reason!

Here are some songs that show how grateful I am to God:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=69bmNsI_qNQ&si=W-5PHZ_Wooim9UP4

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=X0tNiFvE7oc&si=-yc9JZt1Vejx7GIC