Tribute Video: One year anniversary of Chidinma Olajide’s death

It’s been a year since the death of my wife, Chidinma. While it has been a rollercoaster of emotions. I am sharing this post to invite you into the intimate way I chose to remember Chidinma on her death anniversary.

I am truly grateful to God and everyone who has supported me during this grieving process. I felt emotions like I could never have imagined, but I also experienced love and kindness as I could never have possibly imagined.

I wish Chidinma was still here. I can’t believe it has been over a year I last heard her voice. There’s yet to be a day in this last year that I haven’t had conversations with her in my heart. I miss walking through life with her.

I hope Balanced Wheel serves as a lasting legacy in honour of my wife Chidinma to walk with anyone going through the shadows of death like I am.

As I reflect and grieve the death anniversary of my late wife, please permit me to share with you a few tribute videos done in honour and remembrance of Chidinma as I hope to inspire people on a similar loss of a loved one journey as I am, to heal, hope and thrive.

Tribute from friends and family to my wife, Chidinma

A memorial video, titled a letter to those I love and those who love me.

A Letter to Those I Love and Those who Loved Me.

The GOOD News

“We are not just products of genetic make-up; “who we are‟ is determined by our experiences, and by how we allow them to affect us.”

The BAD news

“No-one can persuade us to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of another, only our own.:

A Letter to Those I Love  and Those who Loved Me.

I am sad that you are sad, but I am glad that you miss me enough to shed a tear.  Tears are not a sign of weakness, but a sign that you CARED. They indicate you are missing someone special … that I was to you, and that you were to me.

So, it is OK that you are grieving. Grief is the price we pay for caring.

And we DID care for each other.

But maybe it feels like you should grieve forever. I don’t see it that way.

The time will come when your tears should be replaced with happy memories. Life is remembered in single, special moments, and, you and I certainly shared lots of those, didn’t we?

Remember?

You need to know that wherever you are, I still am … and always will be … a significant part of your life. It’s just that I won’t be there with you. Our journeys must be apart for a while, and you must carry on without me for now.

But even though my life has ended, yours has not. I want you to have my permission to go on.

For my sake, turn again to life, and smile. For my sake, look after the people who matter most to us. For my sake, do the things that were special and important to us.

Life has been good to us.

But though I am gone, life still has meaning. It is still a gift.

There is still so much for you to do… goals you ought to strive for …  

new experiences you should appreciate … people you still care for .

Don’t spend so much time grieving what you have LOST, that you forget to value what you still HAVE.

I know you will miss me, but go on with your life anyway. Go on with my blessing, knowing that this is what I would want for you, and that I would be disappointed if you DIDN’T make the most of it.

But also know that I appreciate it will not be easy, and that I will understand and sympathize in those difficult moments.

So, if you need me, just call and I will be there. Although you won’t see or hear me, you will know what I would say to you and you will find the strength to do whatever you want to do.

So, go for it, knowing that I will be with you in spirit, cheering you on, enjoying every moment of your happiness, and feeling so proud that you were able to make it. 

And maybe in that moment … in the fulfilling of that goal, … in the achieving of that milestone.. in that happy family occasion… in realizing that you are making the most your life, you will feel my presence … and my pleasure.

Don’t forget now … whatever you do, do it with my blessing.

And above all, this comes with my love.

I would like you to make the most of every single moment of your life.

Don’t spend so much time grieving what you have LOST, that you forget to value what you still HAVE.

I know you will miss me, but go on with your life anyway. Go on with my blessing, knowing that this is what I would want for you, and that I would be disappointed if you DIDN’T make the most of it.
But also know that I appreciate it will not be easy, and that I will understand and sympathize in those difficult moments.

So, if you need me, just call and I will be there. Although you won’t see or hear me, you will know what I would say to you and you will find the strength to do whatever you want to do.
So, go for it, knowing that I will be with you in spirit, cheering you on, enjoying every moment of your happiness, and feeling so proud that you were able to make it.

And maybe in that moment … in the fulfilling of that goal, … in the achieving of that milestone.. in that happy family occasion… in realizing that you are making the most your life, you will feel my presence … and my pleasure.

Don’t forget now … whatever you do, do it with my blessing. And above all, this comes with my love.

I would like you to make the most of every single moment of your life.

Poem was written by: Bill Webster

To Be Continued Next Wednesday…

I would like to hear from you. Would you please share your thoughts, comments and reflections below? Thank you.