This is one of the reasons why am a photographer and also one day maybe become a writer. I believe pictures a reminder of a certain time and what occurred when they were taken. These pictures were taken in 2009 a week after my wedding. I had 2 big things happen on this day. The first was 😬 " oh my gosh don't laugh guys , this is true life event not just some kinda story from a book where. I got to go on an elevator for the first time, no one told me about them at all, I was just following my husband and his parents walk into a small room. I was the last person to enter and the door started closing while I was halfway in. I screamed in lunda Yayaameeeeee lelu nafwi tata Nzambi kwashi kwashi ami Ever ami!! The people behind working at the reception and lobby laughed so hard. My father in-law also now known as my Father in-love , he rushed by me and held the door. I saw so much love and concern in his eyes. I remember his words still loud and clear in my ears today, " Eva it's okay! You're okay!"
I thought that the elevator door was going to go through me and cut me in half. So now you can imagine the fear that went through my body and the expression I was wearing on my face. Do you have anyone in your life that tells you to focus on them when you feel like everything else is falling apart? The people that were laughing behind me belong exactly where they're meant to be of course ( in the back) I focused on the future the people that were in the elevator waiting for me , my new family and my new Life.
At this point you're probably like ," get to the point Ever, what was the next thing that happened ?"Calm down you crazy reader it's coming
While the second thing was haaaaa help me Lord to get this out
This was my first time to a fancy dinner. It was at the Intercontinental hotel . See we just drove from my village straight to this different planet in the same country. I was so worried about eating with knives and folks. The thought of it consumed me and my whole day . I was
terrified me even more. I was so worried that I completely forgot how to smile. I kept thinking the people that saw me enter this hotel I mean heard me enter this hotel are definitely going to be there at this buffet thing for sure.I wanted to ask someone to teach me how to eat with knives and folks. My whole entire life I had used my hands to eat and only in movies that we saw people cutting chicken and eating at the same time. I was afraid that these people are definitely going to figure me out that I don't belong. My new husband is also going realize that he had just made a biggest mistake of his life. I tried to fake it till I made it but that's not my thing, I don't fake well.
I decided to order the only thing that I know of and how to eat it .They asked me what would you like to drink and I said "can I have nshima and chicken please". My husband said Fanta will be perfect for her. He didn't try to correct me or make me understand what was happening. Everybody got up to go and grab their food. It was an amazing buffet! Each food tray or whatever you call it , had a person dressed in white shirt and black pants behind it to save you. They all looked and seemed fancy.
My husband new that I was terrified, he didn't ask me why I was, or to chin up buttercup.
Him and his brother made sure that the people at the hotel cooked nshima and brought it to me even when it was not on the buffet menu. Nshima is the native Zambian food. It's want I knew , and what I needed on that moment to help me with the fear of people realizing that I didn't know how to eat like a western well mannered person.
The reason why I'm sharing this is to remind someone that it's okay to be terrified when you're not in your comfort zone. It's okay to step forward even when you have no clue what to do. It's okay not to know everything. It's okay to be born exactly where you were born. It's okay to be you because the right people will see you and your potential not the things that fall short on their perfect list of the person they want.The list is endless , I could go on and on, but I want you to know that, this girl if she had a chance to go back to this day, she wouldn't change a thing, she would just remind her younger self that nobody cares weather you use your hands or knives and folk to eat. You're you! The only thing that matters is to enjoy what's in front of you and not let worry steal your today's happiness and experience.
The end!
Now go out there and live your own authentically life and take lot and lots of pictures.
The picture credit goes to my Mother in-love who lovingly captured this moments for her son and I.
I'm forever grateful.
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