On that day when the self is gone and the body lays unmoving, weep not for me,
For on that day, I will be free of the toils of this world,
I will be free and on my merry way to meet my maker,
I sense it will be a glorious occasion, for my maker and I shall have plenty to talk about,
I expect we will talk about music;
We will talk about melodies, harmonies, arrangements and the saxophone.
We will talk about poetry, dance, paintings and sculptures.
And, on that day, I will finally have the words to express how it all moved me.
I will tell my maker how every tune, every dance and painting I came across I saw God…
I expect we will talk about sunrises, sunsets, and the inspiration behind each one.
I will be beside myself with awe and I will tell my maker about my first sighting of the Grand Canyon,
We will talk about the dense and majestic forests of Congo,
The jaded snow-covered mountains of Lesotho;
The calming grace of Victoria Falls,
And, we will marvel at the beauty of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley.
I expect we will laugh at all the silly emotions I held on too.
And, we will muse about all the magnificent souls I encountered,
I shall remark on how beautiful and equally stressful it all was.
I shall tell my maker of how I was fearless even when I was petrified,
I shall tell how I loved deeply and walked this earth with fine people,
I shall speak of how much I ate and slept because it made me happy.
We shall sip tea, yes there will be grapefruit tea, we shall sip tea and talk of books, books and more books,
I have a feeling when I meet my maker, peace and laughter will be our soundtrack.
We shall talk about MY PEOPLE. We shall talk about MY PEOPLE in detail.
I expect there will be tears and my throat will contract with unanswered questions.
When I meet my maker, I will tell how I went out seeking me and found God instead.
I will tell how I saw God everywhere mostly in the faces of children,
I will tell how I heard God every day mostly in the giggle and laughter of small children.
I have a feeling when I meet my maker it will be like coming home after a long, fulfilling and tiring trip.
Thus, when you think of me, think of me laying in the lushest Greenfield, a jazzy tune playing in the background, the sun warm on my skin and my giggle wild and free.
Think of me as a rare piece of art for I will live as a beautiful memory in your mind…
Buhlebamantungwa Mabaso is a Cape Town based Johannesburg born writer, storyteller and Human Rights activist. Buhle, as she affectionately known is inspired by Mother Africa, her cultures, her spiritual beliefs and the vibrancy of the continent. “I may not be sure about the healing properties of art, but I am sure, it moves me and rearranged my whole life.” BuhleM