Dear Diary,

It is 2025, and the air is hot, though not as hot as I was told. I was forewarned and armed to brace myself for the unmistakable heat of a small, quiet community where people go about their business.

The nights are not just warm, they are hot. You only need a thin bed sheet to cover yourself. I am yet to encounter the fangs of Sister Anopheles, whom I had prepared for beforehand by purchasing a stash of mosquito repellent lotion and coils. If she and her army decide to show up, I am still very prepared.

My place has a good water source, so my small-scale farming skills have come into play. I bought my first hoe and resurrected a vegetable garden. The fruit trees here remind me of the yard I grew up in, with mangoes, guavas, and the pawpaw tree next door, which is ripe now. Someone should get those fruits from up there.

I will miss the avocado pears and apples. There is a gate, so I do not have to worry about stray dogs coming into the yard to do their business and dig in the garden. The property owners did me a great favor, and I am grateful to God for aligning me with them. When 2025 came, for the first time, I was the new kid on the block. The feeling was not that I was away, but that I was finally here, a space of tranquility, being in the undivided company of my thoughts. That is how much I love myself, pun intended.

There is really nothing new here; human beings still do what they do, and God is still in heaven watching over us. It had been my prayer for almost two decades, remember those days of praying and fasting for this? Now, we are living the dream. By the way, do you remember praying for exactly this? A role that allows me to be used by God, where no one knows me, so I can grow on my own, using the skills I have acquired through the years? Well, here we are.

Dear Diary, I had no hand in us being here. I am as baffled as you are. I am ready to live fully, dear Diary. We have been through a lot, you and I, but what I have always looked forward to is what God has prepared for me. I know my imagination can be out of this world, but I often ask myself why I thought about it in the first place. Am I right or am I wrong? Dreaming is my thing; being a storyteller requires it to a certain sane extent. If I believe it, I can be it. I just need to write it down a lot and look for destiny partners to see where God takes us.

Dear Diary, I am counting on you to remind me daily as I see God’s purpose for me unravel. The job preferences and gifts/talents, which later become passions, are becoming a clear picture. I admit, in the beginning, I thought I knew where I was going. When I let go of what I wanted and let God lead me to it, it became easier. You know how you want what you want but do not listen to what you need? God knows best, I can attest to that. He has already walked this life I am living, from my beginning to its end. So, if I cannot trust Him, I am utterly foolish, right? My mind is already working overtime in anticipation of that lightbulb moment. Any ideas?

I know it will be clear soon, so as I continue to give Him the honor and glory, He will, at the right time, let everything come to fruition. I cannot wait for what He is working on. God is simply amazing; there is never a dull moment with Him. On the issue of stupidity, I think we need to tread carefully. We have made some not-so-wise decisions, and we should never allow them to happen again. You know exactly the ones I mean. Let’s learn our lessons. Remember, repeating a mistake is not a mistake if you learn from it. You are intelligent, are you not? Avoid bad company, as it corrupts good morals. Help me run at the sign of such, dear Diary. I do get carried away sometimes, I must work on this.

My housemates are awesome; we are one big happy family, making life and adapting easy for me. They do not know how crazy we are yet, I am giving them a small dose each week. We do not want them thinking they live with a psycho, do we? I do not foresee myself changing for anyone, for any reason. At my age, it is not possible. This is who I am, creative in all aspects and proud. Daily, I seek to shine unapologetically as I try to live a blameless life. Besides, it is less stressful. I know that soon, the hard work will bear sweet fruit.

Dear Diary, let me make you my accountability partner for my desire to study and upgrade myself. I already know what I want and what I need, which will meet my purpose’s requirements. I think we will be great at it. I cannot wait. Does it show that I am excited? So listen up, this is just the first of many to come, where I pour out my thoughts to you. We are in this together, you and I. Now, as I reflect on where we are now, where we have been, the lessons learned, and future prospects, remember that there is no one coming to save us. We are all we have, so we must stick together. We have come a long way. You helped me get through my lowest, through tears of sorrow and joy. You welcomed me in your embrace.

God knows I needed to offload the baggage. I found relief, healing, and hope through your pages. The ink bled onto you freely, and my soul was soothed. Dear Diary, I smile when I think about you because we still have many adventures ahead of us. The memories we have made from past experiences will glue us together forever. Friends we have met, loved, lost, or recovered remain in our hearts. The new year brings with it new adventures, ambitions, desires, inspirations, and insights. We can embrace each one only when we intentionally move with the waves of change.

I am ready to ride the waves on the motorbike across Mutora, Nembudziya. I have your helmet ready. Let’s ride, my dear Diary.

Yours,
ChiheraChashe, signing out from the heart of Gokwe.