Freda Omaswa - A Life Well Lived

-


I visited a funeral home for the first time to celebrate the life of a pretty girl called Freda. 
She was a doctor, a wife and a daughter but to me she was just Freda - a friend I got acquainted with in September of 2014.

I arrived early to a friend’s birthday lunch and she walked in shortly thereafter. We introduced ourselves and spent close to 45 minutes talking about life since relocating to America, about intermarriage among people of different ethnicities. We discovered we were both from Teso land. Sitting in that restaurant and waiting for the birthday girl we had a lot to talk about.

I was struck by her grace; her sweet smile and I loved the way she raised her eyebrows when she talked. There was an excitement in her spirit. She expressed her ideas with clarity and precision. Talking fondly about her husband and her parents back in Uganda.

She didn't mention she was undergoing chemotherapy. That some days were dark, that she had stage 4 colon cancer.
I didn't mention that I knew. That the birthday girl and I prayed for her often.

She was careful about her dash, you know? The little flat line that sits between the years of life: 1982 - 2016. She was careful without effort. I soon forgot that she was unwell and enjoyed good laughs with her and her humorous husband at yet another party.

I got news of her death on Monday and on Monday I found out she was a sister to a good friend. A daughter to a well-known Professor in Uganda. It seems to have slipped through the cracks. I wished I had known but I'm glad I didn't because she was large all by herself, she left a mark all by herself.
Tonight as Dr. Omaswa talked about her daughter I couldn't agree more. She was kind, selfless, graceful, elegant and confident. Large!

I met her at the end of her dash. She finished it straight.

Tonight I think of Paschal her husband of 2 years, Professor and Dr. Omaswa her parents, Mark her brother and Gloria her sister and my dear friend.

May Freda's life be celebrated always.
#WeloveFredabecause: Beauty shone from her soul and her bright smile. Her quiet spirit resounded with wisdom. Our friendship brief and sweet.

Freda's body will be laid to rest on the 10th of February 2016 in Ngora district.
Freda shares her diagnosis and battle with Colorectal Cancer


Comments

  1. jlrohrer802:20 AM

    This is wonderful. Thank you for sharing your lovely thoughts about our dear friend that we have in common. Peace to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mrs.O9:35 PM

      Thank you jlrohrer80. She was a wonderful lady and will always remain special in our hearts. Thank you for visiting my page.

      Delete
  2. Kate4:36 AM

    That was Freda...very kind soul, very thoughtful of others even when she herself was not well. She cared that others were well. It's been one long year since she passed..i pray that God receives her in His loving arms where she belonged.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mrs.O8:48 PM

      Kate, thank you for the kind comment. We will always remember her beautiful spirit. May her soul rest in peace and may we strive to live each day as though it was our last.
      Thanks for visiting my page.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Hey! Thanks for dropping by :-)

Popular posts from this blog

Kitante Primary School Circa the 1980's

-
Image
In memory of A.D Ssozi the former headmaster of Kitante Primary School who breathed his last on March 19th 2014 at 5:45pm in Texas. He was 81 years old. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Kitante Primary School Emblem: Child between two parents Kitante Primary School anthem: "There's a school near the museum by the road side,   Oh come to the school of the world  No school is so dear to your child   Kitante is the best in the world.  Oh come come come come  Come to the school by the road side  Oh come to the school of the world  No school is so dear to your child  Kitante is the best in the world " The children sang loud when it came to the chorus:  "Oh come come come come COME to the school by the road side " - even those who didn't know the song well knew this part. School prayer: "Look at me Oh God As my heart silent all To you all I turn For all the sins that I have committed I beg to be forgiven Where I have be...
Read more

Uganda Television shows in the 80's

-
Image
When I have time to twiddle my fingers my mind goes into flash back mode--to my childhood. These particular memories get tickled when I have to seriously screen and re screen what Mich watches.  Gone are the days when the mere mention of cartoon sufficed--when you knew that it was something for the kids to watch and it was safe. This is where my love for UTV (Uganda Television) back in the 80’s gets rekindled. I would rush home from school to watch “ Clue Club ” “ Blue Falcon and Dog Wonder ” and “ Scooby doo ”, any body identify? Ok, what about Electric Company and Sesame Street ? Yeah, I knew that would be more familiar. There was even a time I thought if I happened to land in Germany I would find my way “ Pappenheimer ” taught us basic German phrases. Then when the tapes were over and UTV had overly repeated them and finally got ashamed they brought “ Peter and His Toy Box ”. Oh! that was fun, he showed us how things like rubber, glass, and wood were manufactured and used (imag...
Read more

The Peeping Petticoat

-
Image
Petticoats! Remember them? If you landed on this planet after the 90's you'll probably wonder what I refer to and no! it is not some fancy coat worn on top of a boob tube. Petticoats or half-slips are little nylon skirts worn as undergarments. Sound like the dark ages? Yeah, like who would wear extra clothes in the African heat? Probably explains why they were made of nylon and light cotton material. It was an essential item on every school girls shopping list next to Always and Vaseline. These skirts were everywhere; in suitcases, hanging up on a bathroom peg, sometimes they showed up on the clothes line outside; black and white - the two most preferred colors. We giggled when girls in primary six and seven begun to wear them - they were mature, things we studied in biology were taking place in their bodies.  Woe unto you if the elastic around the waist came loose or the lace on the hem came undone. It wasn't any of our business but when those little skirts pe...
Read more