I Was Dead But Now Am Alive
I was introduced to Alabastron by two Alumni who were younger ladies than I was, we would meet on Sunday at church. They looked at me and said, “You are not the Jennifer we used to know.” They had known me years back. I had gone to further my study in Europe and came back to resourcefully give back to my beloved country but my education wasn’t materializing into a job as I had hoped. Devastated as I was, I also lost my property – I lost all I ever had. All the broken expectations and personal loss left me severely depressed.
I started living in a world of my own where no one would know what I was going through. I hid my emotions.
I started living in a world of my own where no one would know what I was going through. I hid my emotions. I could not connect with nature, and I could not even pray.
I could not connect with nature, and I could not even pray. I went to church just as was expected of me, but my relationship with God was only superficial.
I was a bitter woman. I could not give a smile. The severed relationship with my husband had spiraled down and affected the relationship I had with my children. I could not be in the same room with my son. I wasn’t even slightly interested in what my children were up to.
I would look at my wardrobe and not see anything appropriate to wear – though I had beautiful outfits, shoes and accessories. There was a hood covering my eyes, a black curtain that was never drawn so my eyes wouldn’t see the light.
When I went to the Alabastron Open Day as I was requested by my friends, I was shocked. Lady Laimani spoke about me, or so I thought.
When I went to the Alabastron Open Day as I was requested by my friends, I was shocked. Lady Laimani spoke about me, or so I thought. Every story she gave was my story.
Every story she gave was my story. The story of my life. I thought, “Now everyone knows my story!” How could this be? How could my friends tell Laimani my story? I approached my friends that Sunday and asked them, “Did you tell Alabastron my story?” They laughed it off, assuring me that they had not spoken to Laimani, and gently asked me to join the program since they were willing to sponsor me. I obliged because I could see that change was evident in their lives. Their smiles were genuine.
To me Alabastron, Renewing Self is a Second Hope, a Second Life; I was dead but now am alive. It is a process to remove the top of layer of covering, just as you would an onion, so that you can understand yourself better. I would even sleep at 2am to work on myself.,
It is a process to remove the top of layer of covering, just as you would an onion, so that you can understand yourself better.
I learned how to respond to every event, not merely react to it. Before Alabastron, I would usually shout and insult my children. They were used to bitter exchanges of words with me. But now after Alabastron, I became a calm woman. I give myself time before I react to difficult situations. My daughter one day asked me, “Mum are you sick?” She had done something wrong and expected bad repercussions from me full of shouting and calling unheard of names. But I didn’t do anything.
My face is enough evidence of my transformation – I can now smile. I look at the wardrobe and really see that I have beautiful clothes. Now I wear all those beautiful clothes. I didn’t need to do any shopping. Everything I needed was right there in the closet.
Now I know that I cannot be put down by someone’s actions and words. I can stand up for myself and what I believe in.
I know now that my daughter also needs to do Alabastron, Renewing Self. I would love to call out all the women who have reached an age of understanding their world – let them come to Alabastron.
ENROLL FOR CLASS