As Agbani headed towards her high-profile job at the headquarters of a multinational actively involved in the telecommunication space, she hurriedly scrolled through her e-mails and messages on her phone. Because of the intensity of her work and other schedules, she made it a duty to consciously put her phone to sleep at midnight and would only access the phone at 7 a.m. She needed to maintain her health and sanity. Scrolling down, she encountered the reminder from the Secretary of her High School Class Set Association, reminding her of the Class reunion scheduled for that weekend. As the President of the Association, she committed to be in attendance and hurriedly planned her activities for the rest of the week, to free her for the much-anticipated reunion. She had attended a girls’ school and recalled with nostalgia, their parting words forty years ago – a quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar – “If we do meet again, why we shall smile, if not then this parting was well made.”

Come Friday evening, Agbani cruises to the rendez – vous location and as she steps into the lobby, she is greeted by a myriad of female voices of differing pitches. Everyone was welcoming each other, and she melted into the ever-increasing crowd. Halima was the first to welcome her even as Bolu, Chinwe, Jacinta, Sandra, Efe, Ama and a host of others took turns embracing and welcoming her. She could not get over seeing Chinwe who flew in from her residence in the Bahamas and Ama who came in from Ghana. She had not seen either of them since they left school forty years prior, and it was fun catching up on what everyone was doing.

The onset of social media and digital calls had helped the classmates pretty much stay connected over the ages, however, nothing could prepare them for the awesome experience of coming together in physical contact, particularly after the pandemic. The pandemic had ushered in virtual conference solutions which the group also deployed to capture members in the diaspora. As the chattering continued and people shared experiences, it was interesting to note that a class of girls who had been exposed to similar conditions and challenges in school, had experienced a vast diversity of challenges as life happens differently to everyone thus leaving its mark on each person.

Agbani surveyed the room and observed that the ever-effervescent Murna remained the same…chirping throughout the events while Bolu sat quietly in her corner throwing in the occasional banter. Molly on her part could not resist the temptation to relive her days as the band leader and give a brilliant rendition of “Ladies Night” by Kool and the Gang. She surmised – Times and seasons may change, and experiences may differ, but a person’s character remains unchanged regardless of the challenges and experiences encountered.

Agbani had a deep admiration for her classmates as she listened to some of their stories which had left them largely undeterred. Was it Marcelle who had experienced widowhood very early in life or Tamara who had suffered severe health challenges but still managed to be her cheerful self? Aggie had a child shortly after school and had remained a single mother all her life. She was now a grandmother with a thriving business. Moriam had lost her only child in a freak accident but still plowed along and then, Bibi had passed on from Cancer while Gbonju had died in a car crash. Varying challenges but through it all, the bonds of sisterhood had seen them through. Sisterhood is indeed a blessing!

It was indeed a relaxing and exhilarating experience meeting in person again, particularly after a long time and after the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also a time to pull up fond memories of some of their classmates who had been called to glory in the intervening period. Indeed, Shakespeare was right in the quote “If we do meet again why we shall smile, if not then this parting was well made.” The Lord had made it possible to meet and smile again after a long time but some persons were not destined to meet again.

As Agbani drove back home on Sunday feeling fulfilled, she smiled as she made a mental note to extend the concept to her extended family, and organise a family reunion, particularly in these times when so many members are in diaspora.

Love

Havila