On this very beautiful and blessed occasion, I pray for God’s continued favour upon you; I pray for good health, for strength, and for the grace to continue your mission here on earth. May your lustre never lose its shine and never grow dim. I love you to bits and pieces, AuntieMonica —my beautiful and ageless mum; NanaHema; Grandma Adi; Opana Advocate!!! HAPPYHAPPYHAPPYBIRTHDAY!!! Anne Nuggets of love fromyour daughter, Anne, on your 80th birthday I am not sure how or where to start. I can’t recollect the first time we met, because you have been in my life for as long as I can remember. Right from my childhood days on KNUSTCampus, I have known you as a mother, a friend, and, as I transitioned into adulthood, a confidante. You have been a loving and gentle presence in my life. Your loving bond with my mom, Auntie Bea, naturally spilled over to me and, for reasons I came to understand and appreciate later, I just fell in love with you. We created our own special bond. As a child, I remember looking at you and marvelling at how beautiful you were — always ready with a smile and a joke to share anytime you visited with Auntie Bea. As a mother, you wrote me letters of encouragement every so often, as though you understood the challenges that came with adolescence and growing into maturity. When you travelled abroad on holiday, you would still keep in touch with a postcard or a short note, and I cherished these gestures soooo much. I still have some of your letters in my treasure box. I also cherish the many times you stopped by the house on Sundays to check on me because you did not see me at Mass, especially after Auntie Bea passed on. We would have a nice chit-chat and a savoury meal on occasion. These Sunday meals always tasted better when you were around. When it was time to make some tough decisions in life, your wise counsel always prevailed; your gentle hand prodded and guided me to safe waters. I often take you for granted because you have always been in my life and continue to be there even as I wind down. You are just a phone call away. You are such a pillar of support, and I am grateful to God for placing you in my life. You are such a rare gem, and such gems never lose their lustre. You continue to shine so brightly in the lives of many. How come you have never been traditionally enstooled as a queen mother, yet the Catholic community knows and refers to you as NanaHema? Even my daughter, Naana, has a special name for you—Grandma Adi! You are a mother to all. You care so deeply. You have a smile for everybody; a gentle touch to prod us, your children, in the right direction. 138 The Birthday Journal
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