I grew up with my parents in our home and it has always been a safe place for me. There, I made friends with some children in the community, made enemies who later turned friends and other acquaintances.

Of course when we moved in newly, my parents tried to caution me in terms of playing about as their way of protecting me was for me to always be indoors but the child in me always want to play around, the same goes for my siblings.

As I grew older, they started loosening their tight hold on me. It's not as if I didn't find a way of playing with my neighbors children anyway even though I sometimes get scolded for playing too much.

But like the saying goes "Change is constant", I realized that at some point, things won't always be the same forever.

When I got married and moved away from home, it wasn't easy for me as I found it difficult to adjust to the new surroundings, there were no familiar faces and all I do is to greet people on my way back from work and go inside my house.

It took me a while to ease into the new surroundings and the people there. Though at first, asides from greeting one another, I don't engage in any form of conversations with anyone since everybody seem to be minding their business which was fine by me.

My husband and I are both working so we leave home everyday in the morning and I come home in the afternoon while he gets back home at night.

When I get back home from work, I am always home alone and while I have house chores and other things to keep me occupied, It sometimes bothers me that everywhere is much quieter and I began to miss my parent's home, my siblings, my neighbors,the noise and everything.

The first time I went to visit my parents after I got married, they were overjoyed to see me. I went during the weekend and most of my former neighbors were home as well and I didn't hesitate to say hello to them.

"You are now looking very fat, Rukkie, one of my neighbors, Mummy Lydia commented. She is known to always say things as it is, so coming from her, it must be true 😃😃😃.

Others commented on my chubby cheeks and the children around stayed glued to me like I was some kind of celebrity. Luckily I bought enough fruits and biscuits on my way down there which I shared to them.

I kept on going from one house to another in our street to say hello to them before going back to my parent's. I saw some children running about and their parents calling out to them and I can't help but smile. I have really missed this.

After staying with them for a while, I realized I have to go back home where everyone minds their business around. My mom noticed my hesitation and proceeded to have a discussion with me.

From the things she told me, I realized that I was younger and some of my neighbors moved into their own homes, they also felt the same way I was feeling at the time but it changed when they decided to relate with others and not become an island.

"If everyone had decided to stay locked up in their homes and not relate with anybody, we wouldn't build the community we have now", she said while giving me a hug.

When I got back home, I pondered on what my mum told me and decided to work on it.

Before then, I always stop by at the big market close to my workplace to get the foodstuffs I need which means I won't have to go anywhere else when I get back home. So I decided I need to start getting few things from some of my neighbors around who sells foodstuffs as that will help me familiarize myself with the environment and also the people there.

"Excuse me ma, please where can I get flour around here", I asked my neighbor who was outside her house.

I noticed she was a bit shocked that I asked her something else other than just greeting her and going my way.

"There is a woman in the second street who sells flour ma" she responded.

I thanked her and went to get what I needed. When I got back, she asked if I was able to get the woman's shop from her directions and I replied in the affirmative, thanking her again for her help.

After that day, we were a bit open with each other and the same thing goes for others in my area. I won't say we are friends now but we are a bit free around one other.

It's been few years now and I am glad I was able to ease into the new life and make a home for myself, relate with people and also get that familiar feeling I once had in my hometown.

Some of us were raised to be Independent, some probably too independent and there is no doubt that we might do well on our own, but with others, we would go farther.

All Images used are mine.

Posted Using InLeo Alpha